THE     PRAYER    OF    CHRIST    THAT    HIS     PEOPLE     MICHT     BE    ONE. 


A 


S  E  R  M  0  N 


DELIVERED  A.T  CALAIS.  JUNK  25TH,    1856, 


BEFoRK    THE 


MAINE  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY, 


FORTY  -  NINTH    ANNIVERSARY 


BY  DANIEL  TALCOTT  SMITH. 

PROFESSOR    XX    THEOLOGICAL    SEMINARY,    l:.\Xi,iil:. 


POR T  L  A  X  D : 


\bs-l* 


V  R  I  X  T  K  L»    B  V    J'.  I!  0  W  X    T  H  U  fi  S  T  0  X 

1866. 


THE    PRAYER    OF    CHRIST    THAT    HIS    PEOPLE    .MIGHT    BE    ONE. 


SERMON 


DELIVERED  AT  CALAIS,  JUNE  25TH,  1856, 

BEFORE    THE 

MAINE  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY, 


FORTY -NINTH   ANNIVERSARY. 


BY  DANIEL  TALCOTT  SMITH, 

PROFESSOR   IN   THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY,   BANGOR. 


PORTLAND: 

PRINTED    BY   BROWN    THURSTON. 
1856. 


SERMON. 


John  17,  21.  That  they  all  may  be  one;  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in 
thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us ;  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast 
sent  me. 

The  chapter  from  which  the  text  is  taken  may  be  regard- 
ed as,  in  some  respects,  the  most  wonderful  and  impressive 
portion  of  the  Bible.  Human  language  is  here  put  to  its 
highest  use.  Even  in  the  ordinary  use  of  language,  as  a 
means  simply  of  intercourse  between  man  and  man,  we  are 
compelled  to  own  that  there  is  a  mystery  involved,  which 
we  cannot  find  out  by  all  our  searching.  The  mystery  is 
heightened,  when  the  Infinite  One  himself  vouchsafes,  as  he 
does  throughout  the  Bible,  to  communicate  to  mortals  in  the 
terms  they  are  accustomed  to  employ  among  themselves,  his 
own  thoughts  and  purposes  and  will.  But  when,  as  here, 
the  august  communion  between  the  divine  Redeemer  and 
the  Father  who  has  sent  him,  yet  with  whom  he  is  himself 
one  God,  Infinite,  Eternal  and  Unchangeable,  is  couched  in 
human  phrase,  and  that  too  of  a  form  and  structure  so  sim- 
ple and  so  plain,  that  the  merest  babe  in  knowledge  may 
discern  all  that  is  most  essential  in  its  import,  we  hardly 
know  which  of  the  two  the  more  forcibly  compels  our  won- 
der, the  capability  of  the  instrument  for  being  employed  in 
such  a  way,  or  the  condescension  that  is  displayed  in  its 
employment. 

This  is  no  place  to  enter  into  speculation  in  regard  to  the 
fact  that  the  Savior  prayed.  It  is  enough  for  us  that  he  did 
so,  and  that  his  prayer  is  here  recorded  for  our  benefit.     A 


prayer  of  Christ,  uttered  under  any  circumstances,  must  be- 
full  of  interest  for  all  who  have  any  just  conceptions  of  his 
character  and  work.  We  often  read  of  his  praying,  but  it 
is  rarely  that  we  have  the  means  of  knowing  what  was  the 
burden  of  his  prayers.  Let  us  be  thankful  that  so  full  an 
account  has  come  down  to  us  of  the  prayer  he  uttered  on 
this  occasion.  What  a  void  had  there  been  in  the  history  of 
the  Savior's  life,  had  these  memorable  words  been  lost  to 
our  knowledge  !  The  occasion,  so  well  fitted  to  bring  into 
expression  the  deepest  longings  of  that  heart  of  unutterable 
love,  and  the  prayer  so  far  transcending  all  that  we  could 
otherwise  have  imagined  of  what  prayer  could  be  ! 

The  hour  of  darkness  is  just  at  hand.  The  Savior  stands 
in  full  view  of  all  that  awaits  him  in  the  closing  scenes  of 
his  humiliation,  but  as  he  prays,  it  is  the  thought  of  his  peo- 
ple that  swallows  up  every  other  thought,  and  every  petition 
has  more  or  less  directly  a  reference  to  them.  Whatever 
else  he  introduces  is  either  suggested  by  something,  or 
draws  something  along  with  it,  that  pertains  to  their  condi- 
tion and  their  wants.  When  he  speaks  of  himself,  as  soon 
to  be  no  more  in  the  world,  he  adds  immediately,  but  these 
are  in  the  world.  When  he  urges  the  petition,  Father,  glo- 
rify thy  Son,  the  ground  presented  is,  that  thy  Son  also 
may  glorify  thee  ;  as  thou  hast  given  him  poiver  over  all 
flesh,  that  he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou 
hast  given  him. 

But  we  are  to  regard  the  Savior's  prayer  as  dictated  no  less 
by  unerring  wisdom,  than  by  boundless  love.  We  may  be 
sure  that  in  now,  as  it  were,  bringing  to  a  close  his  earthly 
intercessions,  the  great  Petitioner  will  gather  up  and  con- 
dense in  one  pregnant  and  all  comprehending  utterance  a 
summary  of  whatever  may  in  any  age  be  needed  to  carry 
into  full  accomplishment  his  purposes  of  beneficence  in  their 


behalf,  for  whom  he  has  already  done  so  much,  and  for  whom 
he  is  now  about  to  pay  so  dear  a  ransom. 

The  prayer  of  the  Savior  contemplated  in  this  light,  chal- 
lenges for  all  its  parts  our  most  earnest  and  reverent  atten- 
tion.    Every  thought  which  it  suggests  derives  from  its  po- 
sition here  an  emphasis  which  in  no  other  connection  could 
belong  to  it.     But  the  petition  of  the  text  contains  an  em- 
phasis which  is  even  additional  to  that  which  belongs  to  it, 
simply  as   being  a  portion  of  this  prayer.     The  place  it 
occupies  here  is  altogether  peculiar.     It  occurs  in  the  text, 
you  will  notice,  as  a  resumption,  with  enlargements,  of  some- 
thing which  has  been  already  said  before.     The  petition  first 
occurs  in  the  11th  verse,  with  immediate  reference  to  those 
who  were  now  believers,  those  who  had  so  long  enjoyed  the 
personal  presence  of  the  Savior  and  had  been  kept  by  him, 
but  who  were  upon  his  departure  to  be  exposed  to  new  and 
threatening  dangers.     "  And  now  I  am  no   more  in  the 
world,  but  these  are  in  the  world  and  I  come  to  thee.     Holy 
Father,  keep  through  thine  own  name  those  whom  thou  hast 
given  me,  that  they  may   be  one,  as  we  are"     The  Savior 
now  returns  from  following  the  course  of  thought  suggested 
by  the  petition  as  so  limited,  in  order  to  extend  it  to  all  who 
should  hereafter  become  his  disciples.     Neither  pray  I  jor 
these  alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on.  me 
through  their  word ;   That  they  all  may  be  one  ;  as  thou, 
Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one 
in  us  ;  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me. 
Now  in  this  method  of  procedure  we  see  an  indication  of 
the  peculiar  importance  which,  in  the  view  of  Christ  himself, 
belonged  to  the  petition.     He  might  have  so  framed  it  ori- 
ginally, as  to  have  included  at  once  all  his  followers,  both 
present  and  to  come,  but  every  one  sees  that  had  he  done 
so,  the  expression  of  his  desire  would  have  been  compara- 


lively  weak.  And  I  cannot  help  asking  you  to  observe  how 
widely  remote  is  the  character  of  the  petition,  as  presented 
in  this  form,  and  the  character  indeed  of  the  whole  prayer 
of  which  it  constitutes  a  part,  from  the  mode  of  thinking 
attempted  of  late  in  certain  quarters  to  be  revived,  which 
professes  to  find  in  the  church  some  vague  and  shadowy  sub- 
sistence, additional  to  the  individual  members  that  belong 
to  it. 

The  design  of  Christ  to  include  in  this  petition  all  his 
true  followers  in  every  age  of  the  world,  is  sufficiently  obvi- 
ous. In  what  sense  precisely  he  prays  that  they  may  all  be 
one,  is  a  question  which  demands  to  be  considered.  What- 
ever may  be  the  nature  of  this  union,  we  are  authorised  to 
assume,  that  what  Christ  regarded  as  being  so  important, 
must  be  something  for  the  realization  of  which  some  kind 
of  adequate  provision  has  been  made,  either  in  the  nature  of 
things,  or  by  explicit  revelation,  and  that  it  must  be  some- 
thing which  stands  closely  connected  with  the  union  of  be- 
lievers with  the  Father  and  the  Son.  For  the  specification 
is  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us,  that  is,  one  with  one 
another,  as  being  all  of  them  alike  in  us.  It  may  be  as- 
sumed still  further,  that  the  union  in  question  must  be  a 
union  visible  in  its  essential  features  to  the  world,  and  that 
it  must  be  of  such  a  nature  as  to  admit  of  being  explained 
upon  no  other  supposition  than  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ ; — 
that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me.  Let  us 
briefly  apply  these  tests  to  some  of  the  principal  views 
which  might  be  taken  of  the  nature  of  that  union  among  the 
followers  of  Christ  which  is  contemplated  in  the  Savior's 
prayer. 

The  view  which  has  obtained  the  most  extensive  prev- 
alence thus  far  among  those  who  claim  to  bear  the  name 
of  Christ,  is  that  the  union  spoken  of  consists  in,  or  neces- 
sarily involves  at  least,  an  outward  fellowship  with  one  visi- 


ble  head,  acknowledged  as  Supreme  on  earth,  But  had  such 
a  union  been  designed,  is  it  conceivable  that  there  should  not 
have  been  a  clear  indication  somewhere  made  of  the  ap- 
pointed head  ?  The  Apostles  evidently  knew  of  no  such 
head,  for  Paul,  we  remember,  withstood  Peter  to  his  face, 
and  for  none  but  Peter  is  any  claim  to  original  primacy  ad- 
vanced. Yet  the  Savior  prays  for  those  who  were  already 
his  disciples,  that  they  might  all  be  one,  in  the  same  sense, 
most  clearly,  as  that  in  which  he  prays  that  his  people  might 
in  future  times  be  one.  Then,  too,  while  such  a  union  would 
confessedly  be  visible  enough,  yet  if  sustained  by  means  like 
those  which  the  Church  of  Rome  employs,  (and  we  can  con- 
ceive of  its  being  long  sustained  in  no  other  way.)  it  would 
have  no  more  power  as  an  argument  for  the  divine  commis- 
sion of  the  founder  of  Christianity,  than  the  mysterious  union 
which  cements  together  the  Zincali  or  the  Thugs. 

Nor  are  we  at  liberty  to  regard  the  Savior's  prayer  as 
contemplating  either  one  and  the  same  form  of  outward  or- 
ganization for  his  people,  throughout  all  the  world,  or  their 
being  everywhere  united  in  the  maintenance  of  a  system  of 
religious  belief  the  same  in  all  its  minute  details.  For  here, 
too,  the  difficulty  meets  us,  that  no  such  method  of  organi- 
zation, no  such  detailed  system  of  religious  belief,  has  been 
anywhere  prescribed }  and  in  the  absence  of  any  divinely 
attested  and  explicit  rule  of  uniformity,  the  constitution  of 
the  human  mind  makes  uniformity  impossible. 

The  connection  indicated  between  the  union  prayed  for  of 
believers  among  themselves,  and  the  union  which  they  all  in 
common  have  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  might  of  itself 
suggest,  that  what  the  Savior  has  in  mind  is  simply  a  parti- 
cipation in  one  and  the  same  character,  living  for  the  same 
objects,  and  being  animated  by  a  common  hope.  But  had 
this  been  the  meaning  of  the  Savior,  his  prayer  would  have 


been  simply  that  his  people  might  be  his  people  j  for  to  be 
one  in  this  sense  belongs  to  the  very  idea  of  the  church. 
The  church  in  this  sense  has  always  been,  and  must  be  al- 
ways, one ;  but  I  hardly  need  to  say,  how  far  is  such  a  one- 
ness from  fulfilling  the  condition  indicated  in  the  clause, 
"  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me." 

We  know  it  to  be  true  of  every  sincere  disciple  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  that  he  needs  only  to  be  brought  to  a  clear  and 
vivid  recognition  of  the  actual  character  of  any  other  disci- 
ple, whoever  he  may  be,  to  become  sensible  of  the  existence 
of  a  bond  of  mutual  sympathy  and  love,  by  the  side  of  which 
all  influences  that  tend  to  alienate  are  but  as  the  attrac- 
tion which  a  passing  meteor  exerts  upon  the  earth,  com- 
pared with  that  which  keeps  it  circling  through  all  time, 
around  the  great  central  orb.  Yet  on  how  many  battle- 
fields of  Christendom  is  there  reason  to  believe,  that  those 
who  were  thus  truly  one  in  heart  have  met  to  shed 
the  heart's  blood  of  one  another !  And  that,  too,  not  al- 
ways notwithstanding  their  common  faith  and  hope,  but 
too  often,  incredible  as  it  might  seem  to  be,  professedly 
on  account  of  it !  How  often  may  it  not  have  been,  that 
those  whose  highest  purpose,  however  defectively  devel- 
oped, and  however  perverted  by  evil  passions  yet  remain- 
ing unsubdued,  was  still  to  do  the  will  of  their  Father  in 
heaven,  have  doomed  others  to  the  scaffold,  or  the  stake,  for 
following  out  the  same  purpose,  more  wisely,  more  constantly; 
more  directly,  with  greater  self  denial,  and  more  painful  and 
exhaustive  labor,  if  not  with  a  more  ardent  and  consuming 
zeal !  Surely  a  unity  of  spirit  which  leaves  room  for  out- 
ward antagonism  such  as  this,  is  not  the  unity  for  which  the 
Savior,  in  praying,  urged  the  argument,  that  the  world  mat/ 
believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me. 

The  prayer  of  Christ  contemplates  that  what  is  called 


9 

the  invisible  church  on  earth  should  itself  become  in  some 
way,  so  to  speak,  visible  to  the  world,  as  being  truly  one. 
It  is  not  implied  in  this  that  it  can  ever  come  to  be  certainly 
and  distinctly  known,  either  by  the  church  or  by  the  world, 
who  are  and  who  are  not  the  true  and  living  members  of 
Christ's  mystic  body ;  but  it  is  implied  that  the  great  out- 
lines  of  that  body  may  be  so  presented  upon  the  surface  of 
human  society,  that  men  shall  be  compelled  to  see  and  own 
the  fact  of  its  existence,  as  a  whole,  with  all  its  diverse  and 
innumerable  parts,  however  remotely  scattered,  and  however 
sometimes  apparently  antagonistic  even  to  one  another,  yet 
mutually  compacted  and  knit  together  in  a  wondrous  and  in- 
dissoluble unity.  But  before  this  condition  of  things  can  be 
attained,  and  in  order  indeed  that  it  may  be  attained,  the 
fact  of  its  own  true  unity  must  first  be  clearly  recognized  by 
the  church  itself.  We  cannot  easily  suppose  that  the  inti- 
mate relation  which  subsists  between  the  followers  of  Christ, 
can  ever  be  apprehended  by  the  world,  any  farther,  to  say 
the  least,  than  it  is  discerned  and  felt  and  practically  admit- 
ted by  themselves. 

It  may  be  stated  then  briefly,  as  the  import  of  the  Savior's 
prayer,  that  his  people  everywhere  might  come  to  acknowl- 
edge one  another  in  the  relation  which  they  all  sustain  to 
him  in  common,  as  being  one  with  him  by  faith  and  love,  and 
depending  on  him  as  their  Savior,  as  possessing  a  measure 
of  his  likeness,  and  devoted  supremely  to  his  service.  This 
is  all  that  is  necessary  to  make  them  consciously  to  them- 
selves, and  manifestly  to  those  around  them,  one  with  one 
another.  For  such  a  mutual  recognition  must  necessarily 
involve  the  conscious  exercise  of  love  to  one  another,  as 
bearing  all  of  them  the  moral  image  of  Him  who  is  to  all 
the  object  of  supreme  attachment,  as  being  all  the  objects 
of  his  peculiar  love,  and  being  all  habitually  animated  by  the 


10 

same  ruling  purpose,  to  serve  and  honor  him.  Such  a  recog- 
nition would  not  exclude  all  difference  of  opinion  in  regard 
to  the  interpretation  of  the  common  standard  of  belief,  or 
of  judgment  in  regard  to  the  means  that  should  he  adopted 
for  the  attainment  of  the  common  end.  It  would  still  leave 
room,  under  the  necessary  conditions  of  our  present  imper- 
fect state  of  being,  for  conflicting  interests  to  be  variously 
developed ;  but  it  would  diffuse  everywhere  an  elementof 
peace,  the  power  of  which  would  only  become  the  more  con- 
spicuous, by  its  being  seen  to  prevail  over  everything  which 
most  strongly  tends  to  produce  division  and  mutual  hostility 
among  men. 

There  is  certainly  a  foundation  laid  in  the  essential  con- 
stituents of  the  christian  character  for  a  conscious  union 
in  affection  among  the  followers  of  Christ  throughout  the 
world,  the  outward  spontaneous  manifestation  of  which 
would  command  the  attention  of  mankind  as  a  moral  phe- 
nomenon unprecedented  in  human  history,  except  as  con- 
nected with  the  development  of  Christ's  religion,  and  chal- 
lenging for  its  explanation  a  resort  to  principles  such  as 
mere  human  philosophy  has  never  dreamed  of.  Something 
of  this  kind  was  actually  witnessed  in  the  first  ages  of  the 
church,  to  a  greater  extent,  apparently,  than  it  has  ever  been 
witnessed  since,  and  it  is  impossible  to  say  how  large  a  part 
of  the  early  triumphs  of  the  gospel  is  to  be  attributed  to 
the  fact.  But  it  is  only  very  imperfectly,  at  best,  that  the 
power  of  the  christian  faith  and  hope  to  evolve  the  highest 
harmony  from  amidst  the  clashing  elements  of  an  evil  world 
has  ever  been  displayed.  And  small,  comparatively,  has 
been  the  ground  afforded  hitherto  for  urging  upon  the  con- 
sciences of  men  the  argument  to  which  the  Savior  himself 
attached  so  much  importance —  "  that  the  world  may  believe 
that  thou  hast  sent  me."     Hitherto,  indeed,  the  course  of 


11 

argument  most  obvious  to  the  defenders  of  the  faith  has 
rather  gone  to  prove  the  divine  vitality  of  that  religion  which 
neither  the  mutual  animosities  of  its  professed  adherents, 
nor  the  united  efforts  of  its  enemies,  have  been  able  to  ex- 
tinguish. And  truly  the  argument  has  been  a  strong  one. 
But  let  Christ's  people  become  one  in  the  sense  in  which  he 
prayed  that  they  might  be  one,  and  in  Avhich,  as  we  have 
seen,  they  may  be,  and  a  stronger  argument  still  will  present 
itself  to  an  astonished  world.  When  we  consider  how  much 
there  is  for  christian  love  to  overcome,  we  may  well  believe 
that  the  spectacle  of  its  triumphs,  when  it  shall  have  taken 
to  itself  its  great  power,  and  shall  truly  reign  on  earth  in 
the  hearts  of  the  redeemed,  will  be  the  chief  instrument 
employed  in  completing  the  subjugation  of  the  nations  to  the 
obedience  of  the  faith. 

The  introduction  of  this  subject  cannot  be  deemed  inap- 
propriate to  an  occasion  like  the  present.  Our  design  as  a 
Missionary  Association  is  to  do  what  we  can,  within  a  limit- 
ed field,  to  bring  our  fellow-men  to  believe  in  Christ.  It  is 
our  wisdom,  then,  to  give  diligent  heed  to  what  the  Savior 
indicates  to  us  in  the  text,  as  being  closely  connected  with 
the  attainment  of  this  end.  And  it  is  a  question  of  great 
practical  interest,  by  what  means  can  the  condition  of  things 
among  his  people,  for  which  he  prays,  be  most  effectually 
promotecl. 

The  peculiar  importance  of  this  question  at  the  present 
day  is  hardly  capable  of  being  overrated.  Always  impor- 
tant, it  has  acquired  within  a  period  comprehended  in  the 
memory  of  many  now  living,  an  importance  which  it  has 
never  had  before,  since  the  first  few  centuries  of  the  chris- 
tian era.  And  the  urgency  with  which  it  forces  itself  upon 
the  attention  of  the  followers  of  Christ  throughout  the 
world,  is  continually  becoming  more  and  more  imperative. 


12 

Look  for  a  moment  at  the  demand  for  missionary  labor, 
which  is  created  by  the  unexampled  progress  of  population 
amono"  ourselves.  Look  at  the  new  fields  of  labor  which 
are  opening  with  such  astonishing  rapidity  throughout  the 
Mohammedan  and  Pagan  world,  and  at  the  manifestation 
of  a  spirit  of  inquiry  now  made  at  many  points  which 
have  long  been  occupied  by  missionaries  of  the  cross  with 
comparatively  little  success.  Consider,  too,  the  fact,  that 
over  all  the  world  the  secular  openings  for  intellectual  activ- 
ity have  been  multiplied,  and  are  still  multiplying,  beyond 
all  precedent,  and  that  the  most  splendid  lures  are  every- 
where held  out  to  turn  men  aside  from  devoting  themselves 
to  the  work  of  extending  the  knowledge  of  salvation ;  and 
then  say  whether  there  ever  was  a  period  when  so  strong  a 
necessity  existed  for  employing  the  utmost  economy  of  effort 
in  every  thing  that  relates  to  the  advancement  of  the  Re- 
deemer's Kingdom.  Was  there  ever  a  period  when  the  fol- 
ly of  the  children  of  light,  as  displayed  in  the  wasteful 
expenditure  of  labor  necessarily  involved  in  their  divi- 
sions and  mutual  animosities,  was  so  conspicuously  and 
shamefully  contrasted  with  the  wisdom  of  the  children  of 
this  world  ?  But  there  is  another  point  of  view,  in  which 
the  necessity  for  union  among  the  followers  of  Christ  ap- 
pears, if  possible,  in  a  still  clearer  light.  With  all  that  is  en- 
couraging in  the  new  and  peculiar  opportunities  that  are 
now  presented  for  preaching  the  gospel  to  every  creature, 
it  cannot  be  disguised  that  there  are  circumstances  in  the 
condition  of  the  world  that  are  full  of  evil  omen.  My  im- 
pression is,  that  at  no  period  since  the  downfall  of  Pagan- 
ism in  the  Roman  Empire,  has  there  been  anything  to  be 
compared  with  the  formidable  array  of  forces  thoroughly 
and  bitterly  anti-christian,  which  is  now  marshalling  itself 
throughout  the  domains  of  civilization.     I  cannot  enter  here 


13 

into  a  detailed  statement  of  the  grounds  upon  which  this 
impression  rests ;  but  I  will  say,  that  if  the  opinion  main- 
tained by  many  able  commentators,  both  of  past  times  and 
of  the  present,  that  the  thousand  years  spoken  of  in  the 
Apocalypse  designate  a  period  which  is  now  already  at  an 
end,  or  is  fast  closing,  is  capable  of  being  shown  to  be  un- 
true, it  must  be  upon  some  other  basis  than  the  assumption 
that  there  can  be  no  development  of  satanic  power  and  sub- 
tlety and  malice  in  the  period  now  opening  upon  us,  of  such 
a  nature  as  to  justify  the  representation  that  for  a  long  se- 
ries of  centuries  the  great  adversary  has  been  comparatively 
bound.  It  cannot  indeed  be  doubted,  that  all  along  through- 
out the  whole  history  of  the  church  has  the  power  of  Satan 
beenact  ively  employed  in  opposition  to  its  interests.  But  it 
must  be  araditted,  that  for  many  ages  past  his  endeavors  have 
been  apparently  directed  with  an  immediate  view  rather  to 
corrupt  than  to  destroy  it.  Now,  however,  appearances  indi- 
cate that  he  has  changed  his  tactics,  and  that  the  effort  once 
prosecuted  so  earnestly  is  to  be  renewed  again,  and  on  a  larg- 
er scale  than  ever,  to  blot  out  Christianity  itself  from  under 
heaven.  In  regard  to  the  ultimate  result  of  the  struggle, 
there  can  be  indeed  no  real  ground  of  apprehension.  But 
I  believe  that  the  time  is  coming,  and  that  it  may  not  be  far 
distant,  when  the  heritage  of  Christ  will  be  compelled  to 
feel  by  a  terrible  pressure  from  without,  that  only  in  a  true 
and  living  union  of  its  once  discordant  parts  among  them- 
selves is  to  be  found  the  strength  which,  under  God,  is  need- 
ful to  accomplish,  for  the  camp  of  the  saints  and  the  beloved 
city,  the  deliverance  for  which  the  divine  promises  are 
pledged. 

In  considering  what  are  the  means  most  likely  to  promote 
among  the  followers  of  Christ  that  mutual  recognition,  and 
that  practical  co-operation  with  one  another,  which  we  have 


14 

seen  to  be  essentially  involved  in  the  fulfilment  of  their  Re- 
deemer's prayer,  the  thought  is  naturally  suggested  at  the 
outset,  that  we  are  to  beware  both  of  attempting  too  much 
in  the  way  of  organization,  and  of  attempting  too  hastily  to 
effect  in  this  direction,  even  what  may  ultimately  perhaps 
become  practicable  and  expedient.  An  attempt  at  an  organ- 
ized union  of  different  sects,  if  it  proves  abortive,  is  very 
apt  to  make  more  offensively  prominent,  if  it  does  not  posi- 
tively exasperate,  the  differences  which  have  rendered  it 
abortive.  And  even  the  temporary  success  which  may  some- 
times attend  a  crude  endeavor  of  this  sort,  is  not  unlikely 
to  prove  more  disastrous  in  the  end,  than  an  immediate  and 
total  failure.  If  any  dependence  is  to  be  placed  upon  visi- 
ble organizations  for  securing  the  union  that  is  sought, 
they  must  come  into  existence  like  the  great  institu- 
tions of  civil  society,  as  gradual  developments  unfolding 
themselves  in  accordance  with  tendencies  already  working 
strongly  in  a  particular  direction,  rather  than  as  the  means 
of  creating  and  directing  tendencies  that  are  merely  seen  to 
be  desirable.  Wherever  this  is  not  the  case,  there  is  always 
reason  to  apprehend  that  under  the  influence  of  artificial  and 
irksome  restraint,  a  reaction  will  arise,  which  will  place  new 
obstacles  in  the  way  of  effecting  hearty  and  enduring  con- 
cord. The  highest  efficiency  of  the  church  universal  as  one 
body  in  Christ,  like  the  highest  perfection  of  the  individual 
character,  can  be  realized  only  so  far  as  the  rules,  by  which 
its  action  is  controlled,  are  but  specific  manifestations  of 
the  law  of  liberty. 

I  suppose  it  may  be  affirmed  in  general,  that  whatever 
tends  to  promote  the  growth  of  piety  in  the  church  at  large, 
has  a  tendency  so  far  to  bring  its  members  into  conscious 
and  visible  union  with  one  another.  The  more  there  is  of 
spirituality  in  the  church,  the  more  just  will  ordinarily  be 


15 

the  estimate  of  the  reason  which  all  true  christians  have  to 
love  one  another,  and  of  the  peculiar  strength  of  the  bonds 
which  unite  thein  together,  in  comparison  both  with  all  other 
bonds,  and  with  the  grounds  and  motives  for  division.     A 
very  large   constituent    unquestionably,    of   the   sectarian 
spirit  everywhere  is  merely  the  dominant  selfishness  of  our 
depraved  nature,  enlarged  in  the  sphere  of  its  activity  to 
meet  a  corresponding  enlargement  in  the  domain  of  self,  the 
man  identifying  his  sect  with  himself,  and  following  out  in 
respect  to  it,  with  what  he  may  complacently  look  upon  as 
pious  zeal,  that  perverse  propensity  to  seek  first  and  chiefly 
some  limited  and  partial  interest,  which,  if  he  were  to  con- 
tinue to  indulge  it  in  the  pursuit  of  ends  more  strictly  per- 
sonal, would  encounter  the  unmixed  condemnation  of  his  con- 
science and  of  the  world,  as  being  utterly  unworthy  of  a 
christian.     To  all  appearance  the  sectarian  spirit  is  often 
materially  fostered  by  a  reference  to  pecuniary  considera- 
tions, as  where  it  is  perceived  that  a  man's  own  personal 
subsistence  depends  in  a  great  measure  upon  the  prosperity 
of  his  sect,  or  that  the  burden  devolved  upon  the  individual 
in  the  support  of  religious  institutions  must  be  diminished 
by  every  accession  made  to  the  numbers  and  the  strength 
of  those  who  are  interested  in  maintaining  them. 

Of  course,  in  every  step  of  genuine  religious  progress, 
there  must  always  be  a  tendency  to  weaken  the  influence  of 
these  and  of  all  similar  elements  of  sectarianism. 

Bnt,  after  all,  the  most  devoted  and  single  hearted  piety 
is  no  absolute  safeguard  against  the  error  of  practically  re- 
stricting the  exercise  of  christian  sympathy  to  the  members 
of  a  sect.  When  a  good  man's  views  of  duty  in  relation  to 
this  matter  are  radically  incorrect,  it  may  even  happen  that 
just  in  proportion  as  he  becomes  more  truly  and  thoroughly 
devoted  to  his  Master's  service,  the  more  vehement  and  ex- 


16 

elusive  will  be   the   manifestation    of   his    sectarian  zeal. 

Something  more,  then,  is  needed  for  the  promotion  of 
christian  union,  than  mere  general  efforts  to  raise  the  stand- 
ard of  piety  in  the  churches.  In  the  first  place  it  is  desira- 
ble that  the  attention  of  the  churches  should  be  generally 
and  urgently  directed  to  the  importance  of  the  subject.  Let 
ministers  of  various  denominations  and  editors  of  religious 
periodicals  feel  that  they  have  a  mission  to  accomplish  for 
the  fulfilment  of  the  prayer  of  Christ.  Let  them  first  be- 
come themselves  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  that 
prayer ;  and  then  earnestly  and  perseveringly  hold  it  forth 
for  the  contemplation  of  those  who  love  the  Savior.  Let 
the  followers  of  the  Lamb  be  made  to  understand  the  true 
nature  of  that  union  to  which  their  Master  calls  them ;  how 
much  ground  there  is  for  it  in  the  oneness  of  the  chris- 
tian character  and  faith  and  hope,  how  indispensable  it  is  to 
the  progress  of  salvation  in  the  earth,  and  how  great  are  the 
shame  and  guilt  and  danger  involved  in  the  contentions  by 
which  they  have  hitherto  been  rent  and  agitated,  which  have 
to  so  fearful  an  extent  repelled  from  their  own  hearts  the 
benignant  Influences  of  the  heavenly  Comforter,  and  shut  the 
doors  of  mercy  on  the  world;  which  have  kept  back  from 
the  Redeemer  his  well  earned  recompence,  and  set  barriers 
to  the  triumphs  of  his  cross.  Let  the  subject  be  faithfully 
presented  in  its  various  bearings  and  aspects,  and  let  it  be 
urged  incessantly  upon  the  conscience  of  the  christian  world, 
and  the  appeal  will  meet  with  a  response  from  millions  of 
renewed  hearts,  and  desires  will  be  awakened  which  will  not 
fail  to  stimulate  to  prayer  and  effort  for  the  attainment  of 
the  great  end,  until  Christ's  people  shall  indeed  be  one. 

The  realization  of  a  true  union  among  christians  will  not 
be  far  distant,  whenever  they  shall  have  generally  come  to 
feel  that  it  is  something  which  ought  to  be  and  must  be,  and 


17 

for  the  accomplishment  of  which  they  themselves  as  individ- 
uals are  held  most  sacredly  responsible,  to  the  full  extent  of 
whatever  influence  they  may  in  any  way  be  able  to  exert. 

It  is  a  point  which  prominently  demands  the  efforts  of 
those  who  would  labor  for  the  promotion  of  christian  union, 
to  insist  upon  the  distinction  which  exists  between  those  doc- 
trines which  are  fundamental  to  the  christian  system,  and 
those  which  have  no  claim  to  be  regarded  in  this  light.  The 
outlines  of  this  distinction  are  to  be  determined,  partly  by 
the  manner  in  which  different  doctrines  are  presented  in  the 
word  of  God  and  the  importance  which  appears  to  be  as- 
signed them  there,  and  partly  by  the  extent  to  which  they 
have  been  received  by  the  church  of  Christ  in  all  the  periods 
of  its  history,  and  owned  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
accompanying  their  presentation.  That  such  a  distinction 
exists  is  very  generally  admitted.  The  common  mode  of  de- 
signating certain  denominations  of  professed  christiansas 
evangelical,  implies  the  recognition  of  it.  But  among  those 
who  employ  this  phraseology,  there  is  often  to  all  appear 
ance  an  entire  failure  clearly  to  apprehend  the  fact  that  the 
denominations  so  designated  are  truly  agreed  in  fundamen- 
tals. The  feelings  cherished  are  certainly  not  such  as  ought 
to  flow  from  this  admission,  and  efforts  are  needed  to  show 
the  churches  what  the  fact  involves,  and  what  consistency 
requires  of  those  who  professedly  acknowledge  it. 

I  remark  again,  that  as  another  means  of  promoting  union 
among  the  followers  of  Christ,  it  is  needful  that  they  should 
be  led  to  see  how  much  room  there  is  for  honest  differences  of 
opinion  among  those  who  are  alike  entitled  to  be  looked  upon 
as  christians.  It  does  not  follow,  because  certain  views  of 
doctrine  differing  from  our  own  are  admitted  to  be  compar- 
atively unessential,  that  they  are  therefore  necessarily  ac- 
knowledged to  have  been  arrived  at  in  perfect  christian 
2 


18 

honesty.  And  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  true  ground 
of  much  of  the  estrangement  that  prevails  among  different 
evangelical  denominations,  is  to  be  found  in  the  erroneous 
views  that  are  entertained  in  relation  to  this  point.  It  is 
admitted  that  there  is  agreement  in  essentials ;  but  there  is 
a  feeling  cherished  that  so  far  as  opin'ons  differing  from  our 
own  are  entertained,  in  respect  to  doctrines  which  although 
they  may  perhaps  be  unessential,  are  yet  far  from  being  un- 
important, the  difference  must  be  owing  to  some  moral  ob . 
liquify  on  the  part  of  our  fellow-christians  which  makes  the 
whole  truth  unwelcome  to  them.  Now  while  the  general 
fact  of  an  intimate  connection  between  a  right  condition  of 
the  moral  affections  and  substantial  correctness  of  belief  is 
alike  taught  by  revelation,  and  verified  by  experience,  it  is 
certainly  pushing  the  matter  too  far  to  as  sumo,  that  where 
ever  differences  of  opinion  exist  in  regard  to  the  doctrines 
of  religion,  they  are  necessarily  to  be  regarded  as  indices  of 
a  corresponding  difference  in  regard  to  the  love  of  truth, 
and  to  the  sincerity  and  earnestness  with  which  it  is  pur- 
sued. Just  think  of  a  Calvinistic  christian  of  ordinary 
attainments  in  piety,  arrogating  to  himself  superiority  in 
this  respect  in  comparison  with  such  men  as  Fletcher  of 
Madeley,  and  the  Wesleys !  But  not  only  does  christian 
humility  stand  in  the  way  of  such  an  assumption,  the 
groundlessness  of  it  is  manifest  to  every  one,  who  under- 
takes to  examine  for  himself,  with  any  good  measure  of  im- 
partiality, the  foundations  of  his  own  religious  views.  He 
finds  that  while  in  relation  to  the  great  cardinal  doctrines 
of  Christianity,  the  evidence  presented  is  of  such  a  nature 
that  no  laborious  process  of  meditation  or  research  is  need- 
ful to  the  attainment  of  an  assured  certainty  that  they  are 
true,  the  case  is  far  otherwise  with  regard  to  the  minor  ar- 
ticles of  his  belief.     The  testimony  of  Scripture  upon  the 


19 

subjects  to  which  these  relate,  lie  often  finds  to  be  scanty, 
ambiguous,  remote,  and  sometimes  even  to  involve  apparent 
contradictions.     Nor  does  the  light  of  nature  furnish  him 
with  any  grounds  upon  which,  to  say  the  least,  he  can  readi- 
ly build  an  absolute  assurance.     He  finds  it  as  hard  to  re- 
concile reason  with  reason,  as  reason  with  Scripture,  or 
Scripture  with  Scripture ;  and  he  is   obliged  finally  to  rest 
his  belief  upon  a  basis  formed  by  striking  a  balance  between 
conflicting  difficulties.    I  do  not  at  present  speak  of  this  con- 
dition of  things  as  involving  necessarily  any  impossibility  of 
actually  attaining  certainty  upon  all  the  points  referred  to.    I 
only  allude  to  the  nature  of  the  process,  by  which  alone  any- 
thing like  certainty  can  be  rationally  attained  respecting  them, 
as  leaving  ample  room  for  a  man's  honestly  failing  to  attain  it 
or  for  even  resting  at  last  in  views  which  are  not  strictly  in 
accordance  with  the  truth.     Why  matters  have  been  left  so 
by  the  Father  of  lights,  is  a  question  which  we  need  not  con- 
sider here,  any  farther  than  to  say  that  the  fact  may  partly 
be  ascribed  to  the  essential  limitation  of  our  capacities,  and 
to  what  stands  in  close  connection  with  this,  the  necessary 
imperfection  of  language  as  a  medium  of  conveying  truth, 
and  partly  to  the  design  of  Providence  to  incite  us  to  the 
employment  of  our  faculties  in  the   diligent  and  laborious 
investigation  of  divine  things,  to  test  our  love  of  truth  by 
the  effort  made  needful  in  order  to  attain  it,  to  give  occasion 
for  the  exercise  of  charity  and  forbearance  towards  one  anoth- 
er, and  perhaps,  not  least  of  all,  to  render  the  volume  of  reve- 
lation a  pleasing  and  attractive  study  to  the  minds  which  it 
was  intended  instrumentally  to  mould,  instead  of  a  dry  and 
uninviting  aggregation  of  abstract  statements  and  formal 
definitions.     But  however  the  fact  may  be  accounted  for, 
thus  it  stands,  and  its  bearing  upon  the  subject  of  christian 
union  is  obvious  and  important.     I  see  hot  how  any  well 


20 

informed  and  fair-minded  theologian  can  take  a  full  account 
of  the  arguments  which  lead  him  to  think,  upon  the  whole, 
that  his  own  system  of  opinions  is  the  true  one,  in  distinc- 
tion from  other  systems  which  he  recognizes  as  containing 
also  the  substantial  truth,  without  coming  to  the  conclusion, 
however  firmly  he  may  feel  himself  settled,  even  in  regard 
to  the  more  distinctive  points  of  his  belief,  that  others  who 
are  at  least  in  general  equally  capable  with  himself  of 
weighing  evidence,  and  who  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  are 
as  thoroughly  imbued  as  himself  with  the  love  of  Christ  and 
of  his  truth,  may  arrive  by  a  perfectly  fair  process  of  rea- 
soning, at  doctrinal  results,  in  many  respects  different  from 
his  own.  And  from  such  a  point  of  view,  how  simple  a  mat- 
ter and  how  easy  to  be  effected,  appears  to  be  that  union 
among  christians  for  which  the  Savior  prayed ! 

This  leads  me  to  remark  that  as  another  means  for  the  at- 
tainment of  the  end  proposed,  it  is  desirable  that  christians 
generally  should  be  brought  to  feel  that  the  whole  truth 
which  constitutes  the  christian  system  is  not,  in  all  proba- 
bility, to  be  found  in  the  doctrinal  belief  of  any  single  de- 
nomination, and  that  no  single  denomination  can  with  any 
just  confidence  be  regarded  as  having  in  every  respect  a  de- 
cided advantage  over  all  the  rest. 

I  look  upon  it  a&  only  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  while 
certain  elements  of  Christianity  are  as  yet  but  imperfectly 
apprehended  by  all  the  sects,  there  are  a  number  of  these, 
at  least,  each  one  of  which  may  in  particular  respects  ap- 
proximate nearer  to  the  truth  than  any  of  the  rest,  and  that 
to  say  nothing  of  the  instances  where  disputes  turn  rather 
upon  forms  of  expression  than  upon  what  they  signify,  it 
may  often  be  the  case,  that  just  at  those  points  where  con- 
tending sects  are  in  the  sharpest  mutual  antagonism,  they 
are  each  of  them,  having  gone  astray  in  opposite  directions. 


21 

far  less  remote  from  the  truth  itself  than  they  are  from  one 
another's  conceptions  of  it. 

The  general  admission  of  such  a  view  would  certainly  go 
far  to  soften  the  asperity  of  contention  in  the  church,  and 
thus  prepare  the  way  for  the  exercise  of  mutual  love  and 
for  harmonious  co-operation  among  its  members.  That 
there  is  ground  for  receiving  it,  few,  I  apprehend,  who  are 
capable  of  judging  in  the  matter,  will  hesitate  to  acknowl- 
edge. Some  may  perhaps  call  in  question  the  expediency 
of  making  the  admission,  as  tending  to  produce  an  uncom- 
fortable and  dangerous  uncertainty  in  relation  to  religious 
truth  in  general.  But  if  the  state  of  facts  is  in  accordance  with 
the  supposition. the  question  as  to  the  expediency  of  admitting 
it  hardly  needs  to  be  considered.  I  believe,  however,  that 
in  every  point  of  view,  the  true  expediency  is  on  the  side  of 
freely  and  fully  making  the  admission.  For  which,  let  me 
ask,  is  really  upon  every  ground  to  be  preferred,  the  faith 
of  him  who,  under  the  actual  conditions  of  the  case,  receives 
with  the  same  undoubting  confidence  every  distinct  specifi- 
cation of  an  extensive  and  accurately  worded  formula  of 
belief,  or  his  who  while  he  knows  Whom  he  has  believed,  is 
also  aware  that  upon  many  questions  of  minor  importance, 
in  relation  to  which  the  other  cherishes  an  absolute  convic- 
tion, he  has  himself,  and  can  intelligently  have,  nothing  more 
than  an  opinion  ?  Which  of  the  two  will  be  the  more  likely 
to  maintain  his  faith  unshaken  amidst  the  assaults  of  error  ? 
And  then  as  to  the  comparative  value  of  the  testimony,  which 
is  borne  to  the  truth  in  the  face  of  sceptics  and  opposers, 
to  whom  will  the  greater  credit  be  conceded,  to  the  man 
who  professes  an  entire  assurance  only  upon  those  points  in 
regard  to  which  the  decision  of  the  church  universal  has  al- 
ways been  substantially  unanimous,  or  to  him  who  is  equally 
certain  upon  a  multitude  of  other  points,  upon  which  those 


22 

whom   he  does  not  hesitate  to  acknowledge  as  christian 
brethren,  are  just  as  certain  that  he  is  in  the  wrong  ? 

This  habit  of  being  equally  certain  about  every  thing 
that  pertains  to  christian  doctrine,  passes,  I  know,  with 
many,  for  a  proof  of  high  attainments  in  christian  experi- 
ence and  knowledge,  and  of  a  comprehensive  and  command- 
ing intellect.  But  in  reality  it  may  very  commonly  be  traced 
either  to  a  lurking  unbelief,  or  to  an  incapacity  for  pursuing 
extended  courses  of  investigation,  and  estimating  the  just 
weight  of  conflicting  arguments. 

The  theologian  who  appears  to  be  just  as  certain  of  the 
correctness  of  his  own  view  of  the  origin  of  evil,  or  of  the 
nature  of  the  connection  between  the  divine  agency  and  the 
human,  as  he  is  of  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement,  leads  me 
to  suspect  that  he  has  never  found  the  true  basis  upon  which 
the  latter  rests,  and  that  he  is  afraid  to  doubt,  where  I  know 
he  has  no  reason  to  be  confident,  because  he  does  not  feel 
that  there  is  such  ground  any  where  for  belief  as  ought  to 
render  doubt  impossible. 

But  allowing  that  his  faith  in  what  is  truly  certain  rests 
where  it  should  rest,  whence  does  he  derive  his  assurance  in 
regard  to  that  upon  which  wise  and  good  men  have  differed 
endlessly  in  all  ages  of  the  church?  There  is  certainly 
room  for  a  strong  presumption,  at  the  least,  that  he  has 
either  not  examined,  or  is  incapable  of  justly  estimating, 
the  grounds  upon  which  alone  an  intelligent  judgment  can 
be  formed  about  it. 

The  habit  in  question  not  only  interposes  a  serious  bar- 
rier in  the  way  of  all  harmony  of  feeling  and  of  action 
among  different  denominations,  but  it  withdraws  the  atten- 
tion of  the  world  from  the  great  argument  for  evangelical 
truth,  found  in  the  substantial  oneness  of  belief  which  has 
always  been  maintained  wherever  the  power  of  Christianity 


23 

has  been  most  signally  displayed.  And  hence  the  impor- 
tance of  freely  admitting  doubt,  wherever  there  is  really 
ground  for  nothing  else,  and  for  giving  those  who  differ  from 

us  the  benefit  of  it,  so  far  as  to  allow  the  possibility  there 
is,  that  in  some  respects  they  may  have  made  a  nearer  ap- 
proximation to  the  truth  than  we  have. 

The  thought  is  here  suggested,  that  it  may  be  another 
means  of  promoting  union  of  feeling  among  christians  of 
different  denominations,  that  their  attention  should  be  di- 
rected' to  the  beneficial  results  which  we  may  conceive  it  to 
have  been  the  design  of  Providence  to  accomplish,  through 
the  instrumentality  of  the  very  diversities  of  opinion  and 
of  practice  which  lie  at  the  foundation  of  many  of  the  di- 
visions of  the  church.  It  may  perhaps  seem  paradoxical 
to  make  use  of  the  benefits  in  any  way  connected  with  divi- 
sion, as  a  means  of  bringing  division  to  an  end ;  but  no  less 
paradoxical  is  the  fact,  that  the  mutual  hostility  of  opposing 
denominations  is  often  manifestly  heightened  by  contempla- 
ting the  evils  of  division.  There  is  a  very  common  ten- 
dency not  only  to  identify  ourselves  with  our  denomination, 
but  our  denomination  with  the  church,  and  perhaps  insensi- 
bly to  hold  the  members  of  other  denominations  answerable 
as  schismatics,  simply  on  the  ground  of  their  differing  from 
us,  for  all  the  calamitous  consequences  which  we  feel  to  be 
the  result  of  schism.  It  is  well,  therefore,  that  the  churches 
generally  should  come  to  feel  that,  deplorable  as  their  divi- 
sions are,  there  are  results  incidentally  connected  with  them 
which  are  still  not  wholly  evil,  and  that  in  particular  the 
witness  borne  by  the  great  body  of  believers  to  the  truth, 
and  which  is  to  so  great  an  extent  the  witness  of  experi- 
ence, is  perhaps  made  in  some  respects  still  m  >re  convin- 
cing by  its  being  thus  presented  as  the  witness  of  so  many 
mutually  independent  attcstators.     It  is  a  circumstance  in 


24 

some  respects  favorable  to  the  highest  efficiency  of  a  system 
of  moral  truth,  that  it  should  be  exhibited  in  a  great  variety 
of  aspects,  and  it  is  among  the  prominent  results  of  the  di- 
visions of  the  christian  world  that  the  doctrines  of  Christi- 
anity are  so  exhibited. 

While,  however,  it  is  desirable  that  these  and  similar  views 
should  be  made  familiar,  as  a  means  of  leading  the  followers 
of  Christ  to  regard  one  another  with  greater  kindness,  the 
inquiry  should  never  be  lost  sight  of,  whether  all  the  benefits 
which  are  connected  with  the  divisions  of  Christendom  may 
not  be  derived,  and  to  an  extent,  indeed,  immeasurably  wider, 
under  a  condition  of  things  which,  whether  with  or  without 
outward  and  formal  union,  shall  yet  involve  all  that  is  es- 
sential to  that  union  for  which  the  Savior  prayed. 

I  will  barely  suggest,  that  it  is  desirable  as  another  means 
of  promoting  christian  union,  that  a  better  knowledge  of  one 
another  should  be  diffused  among  the  different  denomina- 
tions, and,  in  particular,  a  better  knowledge  of  what  they 
are  respectively  accomplishing  for  the  advancement  of  the 
Redeemer 's  kingdom  in  the  world.  If  it  be  true,  as  I  be. 
lieve  it  is,  that  in  very  many  particular  denominations,  and 
some  of  them  in  other  respects  even  tinctured  with  mani* 
fest  and  noxious  error,  there  yet  reside  peculiar  elements  of 
truth  and  righteousness,  and  of  power  for  working  good, 
there  is  ground  to  entertain  the  supposition  that  through  the 
cultivation  of  mutual  acquaintance,  an  assimilative  process 
might  be  instituted  in  the  reciprocation  of  beneficial  influ- 
ence, a  process  which  should  gradually  but  surely  undermine 
the  foundations  of  sectarian  distinctions,  while  at  the  same 
time  it  eliminated  throughout  the  whole  circle  of  its  range, 
whatever  of  corruption  either  in  doctrine  or  practice  had 
once  rendered  the  maintenance  of  those  distinctions  neces- 
sary.    But  whatever  may  be  thought  of  this  suggestion,  let 


25 

the  true  spirit  of  Christ  exist  in  a  denomination,  and  so  fai 
as  the  fact  is  recognized  and  felt  abroad,  the  spirit  of  sec- 
tarianism must  stand  rebuked.  And  if  through  the  agency 
of  a  denomination  the  saving  knowledge  of  Christ  is  seen 
to  be  extending,  and  the  power  of  his  atoning  blood  is  more 
widely  and  signally  displayed;  if  through  the  divine  favor 
attending  the  labors  of  its  missionaries,  the  wilderness  and 
the  solitary  place  are  made  glad  for  them,  and  the  desert 
rejoices  and  blossoms  as  the  rose,  the  heart  which  does  not 
grow  warm  at  the  contemplation  of  the  work  achieved,  and 
feel  itself  irresistibly  attracted  towards  those  who  have  been 
honored  as  the  instruments  of  achieving  it,  as  being  itself 
truly  and  in  the  highest  sense  one  with  them  in  purpose, 
must  be  a  heart  which  has  yet  to  learn  the  first  lessons  of 
the  school  of  Christ,  and  to  exercise  the  first  impulses  of 
that  life  which  is  by  faith  in  Him. 

I  remark  again  that  it  is  important  for  the  cultivation  of 
harmony  of  feeling  among  christians,  that  there  should  be  as 
little  as  possible  interference  of  one  denomination  with  an- 
other in  their  labors. 

The  sectarian  spirit  is  never  able  to  vindicate  itself  with 
greater  plausibility  than  when  those  who  are  zealously  la- 
boring to  win  souls  to  Christ  are  compelled  to  see  their  en- 
deavors frustrated,  or  made  comparatively  ineffectual . 
through  the  influence  of  a  rival  denomination.  To  say  noth- 
ing here  of  the  waste  of  labor  which  such  interferences 
involve,  and  the  disastrous  impression  made  by  them  upon 
the  minds  of  those  whose  salvation  the  conflicting  parties 
are  perhaps  equally  desirous  to  promote,  the  effect  produced 
in  cherishing  embittered  feeling  among  the  sects  is  most 
earnestly  to  be  deprecated.  It  is  matter  of  devout  grati- 
tude to  God,  that  through  his  favor  the  prosecution  of  the 
Foreign  Missionary  Enterprise  in  modern  times,  by  the  va- 


26 

rious  evangelical  denominations  of  Christendom,  has  suffered 
so  little  embarrassment  from  this  cause  thus  far,  and  that 
He  has  put  it  into  the  hearts  of  those  who  conduct  the  ac- 
tion of  the  different  organizations,  to  form  and  carry  out 
their  plans  with  so  wise  and  comprehensive  a  reference  to 
the  highest  success  of  the  efforts  of  each  other  The  home 
field,  however,  has  always  presented  peculiar  difficulties  in 
relation  to  this  point.  And  by  the  frequent  and  painful  col- 
lisions of  the  sects  continually  occurring  here,  it  is  forcibly 
suggested  to  inquire  whether,  notwithstanding  all  the  ac- 
knowledged difficulties  of  the  subject,  it  may  not  be  possible 
to  devise  some  method  of  procedure  which  shall  secure  to 
the  efforts  for  propagating  Christianity  at  home,  a  measure 
at  least  of  the  same  freedom  from  such  embarrassments 
which  attends  the  labors  bestowed  among  the  heathen  in 
foreign  lands. 

And  in  connection  with  this  inquiry  occurs  the  last  sug- 
gestion which  I  have  to  offer  in  relation  to  the  means  to  be 
employed  for  the  promotion  of  christian  union,  and  that  is, 
that  the  duty  should  be  urged  upon  the  followers  of  Christ, 
in  our  new  settlements  at  least,  of  adopting  such  terms  of 
communion  as  shall  allow  them  to  xoelcome  to  their  immedi- 
ate fellowship  all  applicants  for  church  privileges  ivho  fur. 
iiish  good  evidence  of  christian  character.  It  is  a  principle 
distinctly  recognized  by  the  leading  authorities  upon  the 
subject  of  congregational  order  and  discipline,  that  no 
church  can  justly  debar  any  from  its  membership,  who  in  the 
judgment  of  charity  must  be  regarded  as  the  true  disciples 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  As  matter  of  fact,  however,  our 
churches  generally  require,  as  a  necessary  qualification  for 
admission,  an  assent  to  creeds  and  covenants  so  framed  as 
to  place  obstacles  in  the  way  of  receiving  many  whose  chris- 
tian character  is   still  unhesitatingly  acknowledged.     True, 


27 

it  is  comparatively   Beldom  that  in  our  older  settlements 
cases  can  arise  in  which  the  fact  will  occasion  serious  hard- 
ship.    It  can  rarely  happen  that  within   the   limits   of  any 
moderately  populous  neighborhood,  a  christian  believer  will 
fail  to  find  a  church  so  constituted  as  to  allow  of  his  admis- 
sion to  its  privileges.     And  as  soon  as  such  an  one  becomes 
united  in  christian  fellowship  with  those  whose  vi.ws  are  in 
harmony  with  his   own,  unless  his  own  arc  seriously  defec- 
tive upon  fundamental  points,  he  is  acknowledged  at  once  as 
a  christian  brother,  and  welcomed  to  communion  in  the  very 
churches  which,  by  the   principles   of  their  constitution,  are 
precluded  from  admitting  him  to  their  immediate  society. 
It  may  admit  of  question,  therefore,  how  far,  if  at  all,  it  is 
advisable,  at  least  at  present,  to  attempt  any  alteration  in 
the  existing  arrangements  of  churches  which  are  already 
constituted.     In  our  more  recent  settlements,  however,  the 
condition  of  things  is   such  as  to  call  for  the  adoption  of 
some  method  of  procedure,  in  the  formation  of  new  church- 
es, which  shall  practically  allow   of  the  admission  to  church 
fellowship,  in  one  and  the  same  immediate  connection,  of  all 
sincere    believers    in    the    Lord  Jesus    Christ.     Men   are 
brought   together   in   these  settlements    from  all  sections 
of  the  country,  and  from  all  parts  of  the  civilized  world. 
Every  grade  of  character,  and  every  variety  of  opinion  and  of 
feeling  in  reference  to  all  the  subjects  of  human  thought  and 
speculation,  have  their  representatives  among  them.     Only 
a  very  small  proportion  of  the  whole  population  concentra- 
ted near  a  given  point,  can  be  supposed  in  general  to  have 
any  experience  of  personal  religion,  or  even  any  deep  sense 
of  the  value  of  the  Gospel.     All  that  can  ordinarily  be  ex- 
pected  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances  is,  that  in 
any  single  neighborhood  the  number  of  persons  of  all  de- 
nominations, friendly  to  the  maintenance   of  religious  insti- 


28 

tutions,  should  be  sufficiently  large  to  enable  them,  by  a  cor- 
dial combination  of  their  efforts,  to  secure  to  themselves 
and  to  their  children  the  enjoyment  of  the  stated  preaching 
of  the  Gospel,  the  regular  administration  of  the  sacraments, 
and  the  various  privileges  connected  with  a  church  organi- 
zation. Believers  thus  situated,  if  firmly  and  heartily  united 
in  one  body,  may  by  the  divine  blessing  hope  not  only  to 
keep  themselves  in  the  love  of  God,  but  also  to  accomplish 
something  towards  extending  the  knowledge  of  divine  truth 
around  them.  But  standing  apart,  either  as  so  many  isola- 
ted individuals,  or  organized  into  a  number  of  distinct  and 
feeble  religious  communities,  it  seems  almost  a  miracle,  even 
if  they  are  able  to  maintain  their  own  personal  religious 
life,  amidst  the  adverse  influences  to  which  they  are  on  every 
side  exposed.  Union  under  such  circumstances,  visible,  or- 
ganised union,  presents  it?elf  as  the  first  law.  But  under 
what  conditions  shall  the  necessary  union  be  effected  ?  The 
only  method  which  appears  in  any  good  measure  to  meet  the 
demands  both  of  christian  fellowship  and  of  fidelity  to 
christian  truth,  is  that  the  articles  of  faith  adopted  by  the 
church  to  be  established,  should  include  those  points  only 
in  which  all  evangelical  churches  are  agreed,  and  that  they 
should  be  adopted  with  the  explicit  reservation  on  the  part 
of  the  church,  of  a  right  to  exercise  a  discretionary  power 
in  receiving  at  any  time  those  who,  while  they  may  find  dif- 
ficulty in  acceding  fully  in  all  respects  to  the  form  of  words 
prescribed,  may  still  give  unquestionable  evidence  of  per- 
sonal consecration  to  the  Savior. 

It  will  be  seen  to  be  implied  in  the  plan  proposed,  that 
the  creed  of  a  church  is  to  be  looked  upon  not  so  much  in 
the  light  of  a  test,  as  of  a  testimony  j  and  that  its  true  use 
consists  not  in  its  furnishing  a  standard,  by  which  to  esti- 
mate in  all  cases  the  character  of  one  who  claims  to  be  a 


29 

follower  of  Christ,  but  in  its  being  a  means  of  maintaining 
in  the  world  those  views  of  truth  which  it  is  believed  that 
Scripture  was  designed  to  teach,  in  distinction  from  the  er- 
rors which  its  language  may  be  perverted  to  support. 

And  it  is  a  consideration  which  deserves  attentive  notice 
here,  that  the  method  which  this  plan  involves  of  exhibiting 
the  testimony  of  particular  churches  upon  points  of  doc- 
trine, is  in  strict  accordance  with  the  method  in  which  the 
church  universal,  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth,  has  in 
all  ages  borne  its  testimony.  We  are  accustomed  to  be. 
lieve  that  the  utterance  of  the  church,  as  a  whole,  in  regard 
to  all  the  great  essential  doctrines  of  religion,  is  abundant- 
ly distinct  and  full,  and  yet  it'  would  be  hard  to  frame  a 
statement,  so  vague  and  general,  upon  any  really  distinctive 
truth  of  Christianity,  as  to  bear  the  application  of  the  fa- 
mous test,  Quod  semper,  quod  ubique,  quod  ab  omnibus. 

The  course  of  procedure  recommended  may  be  objected 
to  by  some  in  view  of  the  practical  evils  which,  it  may  be 
thought,  would  result  from  its  adoption.  It  may  be  said; 
that  in  churches  so  organized,  the  faithful  presentation  of 
the  truth  would  be  continually  hampered  and  embarrassed 
by  the  difference  of  views  prevailing  among  the  members 
and  that  there  would  be  grouud  to  apprehend,  as  its  gradual 
results,  the  decay  of  christian  knowledge,  the  corruption  of 
belief,  and  the  decline  of  vital  piety.  But  the  question  is, 
are  we  not  shut  up  in  the  course  of  Providence  to  the  adop- 
tion of  some  plan  which  shall  be  substantially  equivalent  to 
that  proposed,  and  if  so,  may  we  not  trust  the  great  Head 
of  the  church  to  watch  over  and  protect  its  interests  ?  May 
we  not  hope  that  by  a  credible  manifestation  of  sincere 
faith  in  Christ,  and  of  devotion  to  his  service,  being  practi- 
cally made  the  sole  requisite  to  church  membership,  the  pu- 
rity of  the  church  will  be  at  least  as  effectually  secured  as 


30 

it  is  upon  the  system  now  adopted  among  ourselves?  Of 
course,  the  doctrinal  views  entertained  by  an  applicant  for 
admission  to  church  fellowship  must  always  be  taken  into 
the  account,  in  estimating  the  validity  of  his  claims  to  be 
received.  But  may  not  enlirhtened  christian  charity  be 
trusted  as  safely  to  determine,  in  particular  cases,  what 
amount  of  error  in  opinion  must  be  pronounced  incompati- 
ble with  saving  faith,  as  to  make  a  rule  beforehand  for  the 
determination  of  every  case  that  may  possibly  arise  ? 

So  far  as  regards  the  embarrassment  which  might  be  occa- 
sioned to  the  faithful  preaching  of  the  whole  truth  of  revela- 
tion, it  may  be  observed  that  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the 
virulence  of  opposition  which  is  sometimes  manifested  by 
good  men  to  what  we  regard,  as  revealed  truth,  is  doubtless 
owing  to  the  sectarian  spirit ;  and  that  provided  this  spirit  can 
be  kept  down  by  the  absence  of  sectarian  organizations,  there 
is  reason  to  anticipate  that  the  full  presentation  of  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus,  will  rarely  be  attended,  with  any  serious 
difficulty.  I  believe  that  the  scriptural  doctrine  of  election, 
for  example,  as  received  by  Edwards,  may  be  exhibited  with 
the  utmost  fulness  of  detail  in  a  manner  which,  if  it  does 
not  command  the  distinct  assent  of  every  sincere  christian, 
will  yet  awaken  no  bitterness  of  opposition,  except  from 
those  who  are  really  unreconciled  to  the  government  of  God : 
and  that  wherever  this  or  any  other  doctrine  is  so  present- 
ed, as  to  do  violence  to  the  feelings  of  a  heart  that  is  in 
unison  with  Christ,  there  must  ordinarily  be  some  great 
defect  in  the  mode  of  exhibition.  And  it  would  be  a 
healthy  discipline  for  the  temper  of  christian  ministers,  and 
well  for  the  purity  of  their  doctrine,  and  for  the  success  of 
their  labors  among  all  classes  of  men,  could  they  be  placed 
in  such  circumstances  as  should  make  them  continually  sen- 
sible, in  the  highest  possible    degree,  of  the   necessity  of 


31 

commending  themselves  to  the  consciences  of  their  hearers, 
and  speaking  the  truth  in  love. 

The  danger  which  might  exist  under  the  operation  of 
the  plan  proposed,  of  the  gradual  corruption  of  doctrine 
and  practice  in  a  church  originally  composed  of  faithful 
men,  would  need  to  be  continually  kept  in  mind;  but  it 
must  always  be  true,  that  sleepless  vigilance  on  the 
part  of  its  members  is  the  essential  condition  of  a  church's 
purity.  It  may  well  be  doubted,  however,  whether  any 
peculiar  clanger  upon  this  ground  is  to  be  apprehended 
from  the  practical  adoption  of  the  principle  that  every  one 
who  gives  credible  evidence  of  discipleship,  is  entitled  to 
the  privileges  of  church  membership.  Under  all  ordinary 
circumstances,  the  number  of  such  persons  who  are  greatly 
defective  in  their  views  of  essential  truth  must  always  be 
small,  in  comparison  with  those  who  by  the  combined  light 
of  revelation  and  of  personal  experience  have  been  led  to 
the  substantial  acknowledgment  of  the  faith  once  delivered 
to  the  saints.  I  know  that  a  little  leaven  leaveneth  tin" 
whole  lump  ;  but  wherever  a  church  is  in  any  good  measure 
faithful  to  its  obligations,  it  may  be  looked  upon  as  certain 
that  there  will  always  be  exhibited  a  prevailing  tendency, 
under  the  power  of  christian  fellowship,  towards  the  advance- 
ment both  in  knowledge  and  in  holiness  of  those  who  are  weak 
in  the  faith,  and  that  the  whole  progress  of  mutual  as- 
similation among  the  members  generally  will  be  in  the 
upward  direction  rather  than  the  downward.  It  is  true 
we  may  not  assume  too  confidently,  that  a  church  will 
be  faithful  to  its  obligations,  and  hence  there  is  real 
danger  here ;  but  were  the  danger  in  question  ten-fold 
greater  than  it  is,  I  see  not  how  we  could  Le  authorised,  in  the 
absence  of  any  clear  sanction  in  the  word  of  God,  to  adopt 
and  carry  out  a  principle  which,  under  existing  circumstan- 


32 

ces,  would  exclude  from  all  possibility  of  the  enjoyment  of 
the  privileges  of  church  fellowship,  any  whom  there  was 
reason  to  think  that  Christ  himself  had  received.  When  I 
remember  the  terrible  words  which  set  forth  the  guilt  and 
the  doom  which  those  incur  who  offend  one  of  Christ's  little 
ones,  I  am  constrained  to  feel  that  there  is  a  danger  here 
which  cannot  be  too  fearfully  regarded,  and  in  comparison 
with  which  all  considerations  of  apparent  expediency  are  as 
the  small  dust  of  the  balance. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  thought  that  in  introducing  these  re- 
marks upon  the  organization  of  churches  in  our  new  settle- 
ments, at  the  conclusion  of  a  discourse  upon  the  general 
subject  of  Christian  Union,  I  have  lost  sight  in  a  measure  of 
the  true  extent  of  the  theme  originally  proposed.  It  is  not, 
however,  without  special  design  that  this  particular  topic 
has  been  allowed  to  occupy  so  prominent  a  place  in  the  dis- 
course. I  believe  that  the  influence  of  the  institutions  of 
our  country  is  destined  to  be  felt  as  widely  and  as  deeply 
in  the  religious  world  as  in  the  political.  Our  religious  in- 
stitutions, however,  as  distinguished  from  our  political,  ap- 
pear to  be,  in  a  peculiar  sense,  in  a  process  of  formation. 
Of  the  churches  which  a  century  hence  will  overspread  our 
land,  the  great  majority  are  yet  in  all  probability  to  be  or- 
ganized, and  to  be  organized  in  sections  of  the  country 
which  are  as  yet  wholly  unoccupied,  or  may  be  characterized 
at  present  as  new  settlements.  Nor  will  it  perhaps  be  re- 
garded as  overstepping  the  limits  of  probability,  to  ex- 
press the  opinion  that  the  churches  yet  to  be  formed  in 
our  own  land,  together  with  those  which  are  to  be  formed 
either  directly  or  indirectly  under  their  influence  in  other 
lands,  will  a  century  hence  constitute  a  large  majority  of  the 
churches  of  Christendom,  and  will  give  to  the  great  church 
of  the  future  its  peculiar  character  and  shape.     It  seems  to 


33 

me  that  if  Ave  arc  ever  authorised  to  anticipate  the  devel- 
opment of  the  designs  of  Providence,  we  may  believe  with- 
out presumption  that  ic  enters  into  the  vast  plan,  in  accord- 
ance with  which  so  heterogeneous  a  population  is  now  pour- 
ing itself  out  upon  the  wide  expanse  of  this  western  conti- 
nent, to  secure  by  the  necessity  thus  laid  upon  the  followers 
of  Christ,  the  visible  exhibition  to  the  world,  at  no  distant 
period,  of  the  essential  unity  of  that  holy  society  of  which 
they  all  arc  members.  If  the  immediate  result  of  the  new 
and  surprising  conditions  under  which  the  work  of  rearing 
up  the  stupendous  fabric  of  empire  in  America  is  going  on, 
should  not  be  the  diffusion  of  a  fierce  and  self-destroying 
barbarism ;  if  the  institutions  of  a  christian  civilization  are 
to  be  perpetuated,  (and  I  believe  no  other  high  civilization 
contains  the  elements  of  anything  but  quick  decay,)  it  must 
be,  so  far  as  human  vision  is  able  to  discern  the  prospect, 
through  the  establishment  of  a  christian  fellowship  so  com- 
prehensive, so  intimate  and  firm,  that  not  only  shall  it  super- 
sede, so  far  as  it  extends,  all  organizations  that  are  properly 
sectarian,  but  that  as  those  whom  it  embraces  go  forth  to 
their  destined  conquest  of  the  world,  the  spirit  of  it  shall 
be  diffused  abroad,  and  shall  draw  together  by  a  divine  at- 
traction, from  among  all  who  in  every  land  have  named  the 
name  of  Christ,  the  hearts  that  truly  bear  his  image,  until 
the  curse  of  schism  shall  have  been  banished  from  the  church* 
and  there  shall  be  one  fold  and  one  shepherd. 

There  is  a  tendency  to  such  a  consummation  visible  even 
in  the  progress  of  society  at  large.  Particularly  is  it  fa- 
vored by  the  increasing  attention  paid  in  recent  times  to  the 
critical  study  of  the  scriptures,  by  the  extensive  and  thor- 
ough investigations  that  have  been  pursued  in  dogmatic  his- 
tory and  in  the  general  history  of  the  church,  and  more  than 
all  perhaps  by  the  clearer  apprehension  that  has  been  at- 
3 


3i 

tained  by  leading  minds,  of  the  essential  imperfection  of  all 
finite  knowledge  of  the  infinite. 

In  the  various  departments  of  benevolent  effort  is  the  ne- 
cessity for  christian  union  continually  making  itself  more 
deeply  felt.  The  constantly  increasing  facilities  of  commu- 
nication between  remote  bodies  of  believers  are  at  once 
awakening  the  desire  for  it,  and  rendering  it  attainable.  It 
is  not  enthusiasm  only  which  discerns  the  indications  of  a 
preparation  actually  going  on  for  the  ultimate  disruption  of 
the  bonds  of  sect.  When  we  take  into  account  the  immense 
activity  which  has  been  witnessed  during  the  last  half  cen- 
tury throughout  the  whole  realm  of  intellect,  we  cannot  but 
acknowledge  that  there  has  been  less  done  comparatively  in 
the  origination  of  new  sects  within  the  pale  of  Christianity, 
than  in  any  other  half  century  of  the  christian  era.  Nor 
can  it  be  affirmed,  notwithstanding  all  the  eagerness  with 
which  polemic  theology  has  been  pursued,  that  so  far  as  non- 
essential points  of  doctrine  are  concerned,  it  has  engaged 
the  attention  of  the  christian  world  to  a  degree  in  any  meas- 
ure corresponding  with  the  zeal  which  has  been  manifested 
for  the  conversion  of  the  nations.  Our  Bible  Societies  and 
Tract  Societies,  our  Sabbath  School  Unions,  our  Young 
Men's  Christian  Associations,  are  all  but  so  many  manifes- 
tations of  the  spirit  of  the  age  in  its  bearing  upon  the  great 
matter  of  christian  fellowship.  I  am  not  unmindful  indeed 
that  there  are  exceptions  presented  to  this  view  in  recent 
developments  originating  probably  in  state  policy,  of  a  spirit 
of  persecution  existing  still  in  certain  protestant  States  of 
continental  Europe,  and  in  yet  more  deplorable  manifesta- 
tions nearer  home,  of  a  narrow  jealousy  between  denomin- 
ations which  have  ordinarily  acted  together  in  a  worthy  har- 
mony ;  but  the  very  notoriety  which  belongs  to  these  excep- 
tions, and  the  peculiarly  revolting  aspect  which  they  carry, 


35 

are  owing  to  the  fact  of  their  being  movements  in  opposition 
to  a  current  in  which  the  general  mind  of  Christendom  is 
strongly  and  irreversibly  impelled. 

The  tendency  in  question  is  full  of  encouragement ;  but  it 
still  leaves  a  burden  of  responsibility  resting  on  ourselves 
in  relation  to  the  subject  that  has  been  before  us.  Let  us 
endeavor,  my  brethren  and  fathers  in  the  ministry,  to  be- 
come thoroughly  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the  prayer  of 
Christ,  and  let  the  fulfilment  of  it  engage  our  desires  and 
prayers  and  labors  while  we  live.  The  ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel have  always  been  fearfully  answerable  for  the  distrac- 
tions of  the  church.  Let  us  make  sure  that  we  ourselves 
are  clear  in  this  matter.  Let  it  be  our  fixed  and  single  aim 
to  build  up  the  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer  in  the  world,  in 
distinction  from  advancing  the  interests  of  a  sect.  We  can- 
not indeed  avoid  the  wish,  nor  should  we  avoid  it  if  we 
could,  to  bring  others  to  think  as  we  do  in  regard  to  every 
thing  that  pertains  to  religious  truth  and  duty ;  but  let  us 
beware  how  we  allow  our  desires  for  this  object  to  interfere 
cither  with  our  own  efforts  or  with  those  of  others,  for 
bringing  men  to  Christ.  Our  single-hearted  faithfulness  to 
the  higher  end  may  sometimes  involve  the  serious  curtail- 
ment of  our  worldly  ease  and  comfort.  We  may  be  sorely 
tried  by  the  bigotry  and  narrowness  of  sectarian  fellow- 
workers  entering  into  our  labors  uninvited.  We  may  see 
that  the  immediate  result  of  our  most  earnest  and  long  con- 
tinued toils  is  likely  after  all  to  be  the  advancement  of  a 
rival  party,  and  we  may  find  it  needful  in  keeping  ourselves 
true  to  duty,  to  resist  the  urgent  solicitation  of  impulses  not 
yet  entirely  subdued  to  the  obedience  of  Christ.  But  as  we 
would  not  at  last  be  charged  by  Him  with  having  stood  in 
the  way  of  the  fulfilment  of  his  prayer,  let  us  see  to  it  that 
no  love  to  a  sect,  no  instinct  of  retaliation,  no  prospect  of 


36 

personal  advantage  however  plausibly  disguised  by  a  show 
of  general  expediency,  shall  ever  tempt  us  to  lend  ourselves 
to  measures  which  can  by  any  possibility  inflict  another 
wound  upon  the  bleeding  body  of  the  Lord.  Be  it  even  that 
the  cause  of  truth  itself  may  sometimes  appear  to  suffer 
within  a  limited  extent  from  the  exercise  of  christian  mag 
nanimity  upon  one  side  only.  Let  the  God  of  truth  be 
trusted  for  its  vindication.  The  God  of  love  and  peace  will 
not  withhold  his  blessing  from  those  who  have  chosen  rather 
to  suffer  wrong  than  do  it,  and  from  the  seed  of  their  exam- 
ple will  be  gradually  matured  a  rich  harvest  to  his  praise. 

Once  more,  Brethren  and  Fathers,  pray  for  the  peace  of 
Jerusalem. 


ANNUAL    REPORT 

OF   THE 

TRUSTEES  OF  THE  MAINE  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


Another  year  has  fled,  and  again  we  meet,  on  this  om 
49th  anniversary,  to  review  the  past,  and  to  gird  ourselves 
afresh  for  the  cares  and  labors  of  the  future. 

Those  two  beloved  missionaries  who  were  spoken  of  in 
our  last  Annual  Report,  as  being  laid  aside  by  disease,  Rev. 
Messrs.  Fairfield  and  Howard,  at  a  very  early  period  after 
the  commencement  of  their  labors,  were  not  permitted  to 
resume  them.  Their  work  on  earth  was  done,  and  they 
have  entered  into  their  rest.  Another  individual,  in  more 
advanced  life,  whom  we  seldom  failed  to  greet  at  our  annual 
meetings,  has  been  very  recently  called  to  his  reward.  For 
more  than  fifteen  years,  Dr.  Cummings  was  one  of  our  Trus- 
tees ;  and  in  the  fulfillment  of  the  trust  reposed  in  him  was 
eminently  prompt,  judicious  and  faithful.  The  cause  of  this 
Society  was  dear  to  him ;  and  in  the  religious  journal  which 
for  a  long  time  he  so  ably  conducted,  he  was  its  earnest  and 
effective  advocate.  How  suddenly  has  he  passed  away ! 
But  the  memory  of  his  virtues  and  services  remains  to  con- 
sole his  surviving  friends,  and  to  incite  those  who  have  yet 
an  opportunity  of  working  in  the  Master's  vineyard,  to  labor 
with  increased  diligence  while  it  is  day. 

The  usual  Tabular  View  will  now  be  given.  Where  a  *  is 
attached  to  donations  to  the  Maine  Missionary  Society,  it 
is  designed  to  show  that  those  sums,  though  collected  within 
the  year,  are  not  acknowledged  in  the  Treasurer's  Report, 
but  will  be  in  the  report  of  next  year. 


38 


TABULAR       -VIZE-W- 


Churches  &  Missionaries 


1.  Acton. 
Rev.  Jonas  Fisk,  s.  s.        Jan.  1,  1856. 

2.  Albany. 
Eev.  Lorrain  Rood,  s.  s.   April  1, 1855. 

3.  Alexander. 
Cooper. 

Mr.  Sam'l  D.  Hosmer,s.s.  Ap.  25, 1855 

4.  Alna. 
Eev.  Sam'l  Talbot,  p. 

5.  Amherst  &  Aurora. 
Eev.  Henry  S.  Loriug,^.  May  1,  1855 

6.  Andover. 
Rev.  Mark  Gould,  p.         June  28,  '55 

7.  Baldwin  &  Sebago. 
Eev.  Cyril  Pearl,  p.  Sept.,  1855. 
Eev.  John  Moore.              March  1856. 

8.  Belfast,  North. 
Eev.  J.  E.  Munsell,  p.       June  28,  '55 

9.  Benton. 
Hunter's  Mills. 

Eev.  Benjamin  Dodge.     Sep.  6,  1855 

10.  Benton. 
Fairfield. 

Eev.  Benj.  Dodge,  s.  s.     Oct.  1,  1855, 

11.  Bingham. 
South  Solon. 
Solon  Village. 

Rev.  Sydney  Turner,  s.s.  June  28,  '55, 

12.  Blanciiard. 
Greenville. 
Sangerville. 

Rev.  John  A.  Perry,  s.  s.  June  28,  '55. 

13.  Bradford. 
Kenduskeag. 

Rev.  Sol.  E.  Bixbv,  p.     June  28,  '55. 
Rev.  James  B.  Tufts.       May  3,  1856. 

14.  Bristol  Mills. 
Mr.  Truman  A.  Merrill.    June  28,  '55, 

Nov.  10,1855, 


Date  of 

Commission. 


12 


50 

87  5( 

100 
125 

75 
150 


100 
31 


200 


32 


150 


12  150 


12 


■l\ 


225 


225 
32 


63 


be 
O 

& 

o 
o 
© 

s 
< 

s 

£ 
e 

O 

z 

.■-■ 

z 
■— 

p< 

_c 

-7 
< 

Z 

"Z 

— 
< 

150 

35 

150 

61 

1 

64 

14 

3 

94 

18 

100 

82 

1 

100 

37 

100 

46 
9 

3 

4 

175 

62 

U 

1 

120 

13 

75 

11 

75 

54 

76 

41 

87 

7 

75 

53 

60 

no 
26 

cb 

175 

30 

170 

65 

2 

95 

31 

14 

1 

50 

90 

30 
32 

45 

110 

3113 

20 

75 

60 


24  25 
15  73 
17  13 

60 

6  42* 


6* 
3* 
3* 


60  28 
60 

4 


50 


25 

41  97 
15  50 

11  51 


10 


11  45  5 
[2687] 23  25 


13 


21  75 


39 


REMARKS. 


1.  The  condition  of  this  people  is  improved.     There  is  more  of  harmony  among 

ml  an  increased  attendance  on  public  worship. 

2.  Mr.  I!ood  left  Albany  in  November;  since  then,  they  have  had  but  little 
preaching.    They  are  now  in  hope  of  obtaining  a  minister. 

3.  Increase  of  congregation  and  an  interesting  Bible  Class  at  Cooper.  The 
members  of  the  infant  church  at  Alexander  are  "active  and  interested  in  the  work 
of  Christ."  Methodist  preaching  in  eachof  these  places  during  the  winter,  a  fourth 
of  the  time      Seven  of  the  church  at  Alexander  (June  4, 1856,)  have  moved  away. 

4.  Xo  material  change  reported  in  the  condition  of  this  church  and  people. 

5.  The  pastor  of  this  church  is  expecting  soon  to  leave. 

C.  Notwithstanding  difficulties  and  divisions  in  the  church,  a  few  mercy  drops 
have  fallen. 

7.  "  During  the  spring  some  40  persons  in  the  town  of  Baldwin  have  hopefully 
experienced  religion,  some  of  whom  it  is  hoped  will  join  the  Congregational 
church."  A  new  meeting-house  is  abont  to  be  built  at  Sebago,  and  a  parsonage 
provided  in  the  town  of  Baldwin. 

8.  Nothing  of  special  interest  reported. 

9.  After  one  Sabbath  had  been  spent  by  Mr.  Dodge  at  Hunter's  Mills,  it  was 
not  thought  best  to  make  any  farther  effort  at  present  to  sustain  Congregational 
preaching  in  that  place. 

10.  In  some  respects,  the  prospect  in  both  these  places  is  brightening.  At 
Fairfield,  (Kendall's  Mills)  a  house  of  worship  is  very  much  needed. 

11.  Nothing  of  special  interest  reported.  The  expectation  is,  that  during  the 
coming  year  Mr.  Turner's  labors  will  be  equally  divided  between  Bingham  and 
South  Solon. 

12.  '•  We  have  nothing  among  us,  at  Blanchard,  so  hopeful  and  promising  as  the 
Sabbath  School.  The  interest  in  it  has  increased,  and  i<  still  increasing."  The 
hopeful  conversions  of  the  past  year  were  among  the  members  of  it. 

13.  In  April  Mr.  Bixby  left  these  churches,  and  !  Halifax,  Vt.  Mr. 
Tufts  has  preached  three-fourths  of  the  time  at  Bradford,  and  one-fourth  at  Atkin- 
son.   The  people  have  listened  to  his  preaching  with  earnest  attention,  and  are 

anxious  that  he  should  remain  with  them. 

14.  With  the  early  death  of  the  beloved  pastor  of  this  church,  I  B  iv.  If.  Fair- 
field,) the  work  of  God  among  the  people  did  not  cease.     Sei  era]  hopeful  conver- 

have  since  occurred.  The  indications  are  still  encouraging.  "  Prayer  meet- 
ings are  well  attended,  and  a  degree  of  seriousness  seems  to  pervade  the  minds  of 
m-.my."  "  The  church  has  suffered  severely  from  the  general  depression  of  busi- 
ness." 


40 


TABULAR     .VIBW. 


Churches  &  Missionaries, 


Date  of 
Commis'n. 


15.  Beooksville,  West. 

BeooivSVILLe,  East.  July  26,  '55. 

Mr.  Wm.  A.  Tennev.  Jan'y,    1856, 

Kev.  Thomas  Smith.  March,  1856, 


16.  Beownfield. 

Hiram. 
Rev.  David  Gerry, p. 


17.  Beownville. 
Rev.  Wm.  S.  Sewall,  p. 

18.  Burlington  &  vic'y 
Rev.  J.  E.  M.  Wright,  s.  s, 

19.  Buxton,  North. 
Rev.  Geo.  W.  Cressey,s.s 


20.  Chesteeville. 
Mr.  Jonas  Burnham. 


21.  Dedham. 
Rev.  Edw.  S.  Palmer,  p. 


22.  DlXMONT. 

Mr.  George  A.  Pollard. 

23.  Dover  &  Foxceoft, 
Rev.  Wooster  Parker, />. 


24.  Durham. 
Rev.  Wm.  V.  Jordan,  s.s 


25.  Edgcomb. 
Rev.  Amasa  Loring,  p. 


June  28,  '55 
Jan.  11, 1856 


June  28,  '55, 


June  28,  '55, 
Nov.  1,  1855 

June  2S,  '55 


June  28,  '55. 


12 

time 


June  28,  '55. 12 


July  26,  '55, 
June  28,  '55, 

June  28,  '55 
Oct,  15,  '55. 


125 

63 
187 

100 

40 
150 

48 
150 

62 


108 


75 


100 


it;o 


To 


120 


"3 

z 

a 

B 
o 

a 

W 

J. 

!h      . 

xi 

<~  a 

O   w 

- 

mxi  'si 

1 

£^i 

r=i 

.— 

•* 

£ 

o 

16  55 

20  70 

12  25* 

28  13 


35  19 


12 


3   2100 


1100 


25 


Ml 


68  2132 


68  07 


23  85 


23 


L5 


41 


R  1 :  M  A  R  K  S  . 


15.  In  West  Brooksville,  last  December,  a  new  and  convenient  meeting-hons 
finished  and  dedicated.    The  pews  have  all  been  taken,  and  a  very  precious  revival 

•a  enjoyed.  Of  the  19  recently  admitted  to  the  church,  but  three  were  new 
;-.  One  of  the  number  was  an  aged  woman,  formerly  a  member  of  a  large 
Congregational  Church  in  Penobscot,  now  extinct.  She  rejoiced  to  come  into  the 
West  Brooksville  Church,  in  company  with  children  and  children's  children.  The 
Church  in  East  Brooksville  also  has  been  blessed  by  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  uniting  hearts  long  alienated  from  each  other,  and  turning  a  goodly  number 
oi  souls  from  darkness  to  light. 

16.  During  the  last  six  months  Mr.  Gerry  has  preached  three-fourths  of  the 
time  at  Browntield  and  one-fourth  at  Hiram.  At  the  former  place  "some  mercy 
drops  have  fallen,  and  eight  persons  connected  with  Congregational  families  are 
indulging  hope."  The  congregation  has  been  larger  the  past  year  than  for  several 
years  previous. 

17.  No  symptoms  of  progress  reported  in  the  financial  affairs  of  this  society. 
but  some  indications  of  the  reverse. 

18.  The  Church  has  been  blessed  during  the  year  by  the  quickening  and  con- 
verting influences  of  God's  Spirit.    (See  a  subsequent  part  of  this  Report.) 

19.  "The  people  are  prompt  and  stable,  attend  upon  and  listen  to  the  preaching 
of  the  word,  and  seem  disposed  to  do  what  they  can  to  support  it.  A  considerable 
number  of  }roung  persons  are  pious.  Each  family  takes  a  copy  of  the  Journal  of 
Missions,  the  American  Messenger,  and  the  Child's  Paper." 

20.  This  Church  occupies  a  union  house  at  Keith's  Mills  somewhat  more  than 
one-third  of  the  time,  and  has  had  preaching  during  the  past  year  from  Mr.  Burn- 
ham,  Preceptor  of  the  Farmington  Academy. 

21.  During  the  past  year  Mr.  Palmer  has  been  ordained  as  pastor  of  this 
Church.  In  future  he  is  to  have  the  rent  of  the  parsonage  (a  building  that  cost 
S1000)  added  to  the  salary  which  was  before  given  him,  instead  of  being  de- 
ducted from  it. 

22.  Since  Mr.  Pollard  left  Dixmont,  there  has  been  no  supply  of  Congregational 
preaching,  and  the  prospect  for  the  future  is  by  no  means  encouraging. 

23.  During  the  past  year  this  Church  has  had  experience  of  severe  trials.     Its 
•cts  at  present  are  dark.     On  the  first  Sabbath  of  this  month,  (June,  1856,) 

its  pastor  requested  a  dismission. 

24.  Mr.  Jordan's  labors  at  Durham  ceased  in  November,  and  during  the  winter 
they  were  without  preaching.  They  have  recently  secured  the  services  (on  the 
3    ihath)  of  Rev.  J.  S.  C.  Abbott,  of  Brunswick,  for  two  months. 

25.  "Death  and  Emigration  have  greatly  reduced  the  strengthof  this  church,  yet 
a  good  degree  of  enterprise  still  remains;  so  that  on  the  whole  it  may  be  said  of  n- 
— faint  yet  pursuing."  Mr.  Loring  was  installed  as  their  pastor  the  last,  winter.  "A 
new  impulse  has  been  given  to  the  Temperance  cause,  by  reviving  the  old  pledge 
movement." 


42 


tabular:  vie-w, 


Churches  &  Missionaries, 


26.  Falmouth  West. 
Rev.  R.  Parkinson  p. 


27.  Farmington  Falls 
Mercer. 

Rev.  John  Forbush  s.  s. 
Mercer  1-2  the  time. 

28.  Forks  of  Kennebec. 
Rev.  Josiah  Tucker. 


Jun.  28, 1855 


Jim.  28, 1855 
Jan.  11,  1S56 

Jun.  28, 1855 


29.  Frankfort  Mills. 
Mr.  W.  Newell  s.  s. 


30.  Garland. 
Atkinson. 
Rev.  P.  B.  Thayer. 


31.  Gilead.(3-4  the  time) 
Rev.  Edward  Burr  s.  s, 


32.  Gouldsboro'. 
Rev.  Samuel  Hopley. 

33.  Gray. 

Rev.  Allen  Lincoln  jj. 


34.  Harpswell. 
Rev.  Jonas  Fisk. 


35.  Harrison,  (1-2  time.) 
Rev.  John  Dodd  s.  s. 


36.  Houlton. 

HODGDON. 

Mr.  R.  W.  Emerson  s.  s. 


Date  of 

Commis'n 


Oct.  15,  1855 

Jun.  28, 1855 
June  28,  '55. 

June  26,  '55. 
June  28,  '55. 
June  28,  '55. 
Jan.  11, 1856. 

June  28,  '55-  4 


12  m 


12 


12 


12 


£ 


100 


100 
31 


96 


106 


150 


100 


150 


48 


50 


150 


120 


100 


50 


81 


ch. 


19 


•ic 


46 


56 


93 


"o 

o 

S 

a 

o 

u     . 

■- 

> 
O 

a 

O 

W 

— • 

■3 

g 

d 

=2  g 

01    O 

H'SS 
o  $ 

lis 

o 

o 

o 

o 

"o 
ca 
o 

3 

En 

64 

24  75 

75 

60 

2  80 

40 

2  76 

56 

32* 

17 

8 

100 

20 

30 

60 

6 

50 

12  22* 

1  02 

2 

70 
45 

[38] 

6 

16 

50 

2o 
75 

43 


It  E  M  ARKS 


26  This  church  and  parish  have  been  accustomed  and  now  are,  to  pay  unusuallj 
well  (in  proportion  to  their  ability)  for  the  support  of  the  ministry, but  round  them- 
selves constrained  the  past  year  to  apply  for  Missionary  aid.  Mr.  Parkinson  was 
installed  as  their  pastor  on  the  15th  of  November  last. 

27.  Mr.  Forbush's  labors  in  this  field  ceased  with  the  first  six  months  of  the  mis- 
sionary year,  and  he  is  now  supplying  at  Boothbay  Harbor.  Mr.  Burnham  preaches 
at  Far'm'ington  Falls  two  Sabbaths  out  of  four. 

28.  Rev.  S.  Turner,  having  ceased  as  a  missionary  to  visit  the  settlements  above 
Bingham,  it  was  thought  advisable  to  give  a  three  month's  mission  to  Mr.  Tucker. 
His  labors  were  divided  chiefly  between  Caratunk,  the  Forks  and  the  Moose  River. 
He  found  very  few  professing  christians. 

29.  Of  the  nineteen'  members  of  this  infant  church,  seven  have  removed  to  other 
places  of  residence.     The  "little  flock"  however  that  remain  are  laboring  on  in  the 

of  their  Master  with  Steadfastness  and  perseverance.    Indue  season  they 
will  reap  if  they  faint  not. 

30.  "Some  of  the  church  in  Garland  have  recently  been  revived,  and  two  young 
persons  of  the  Sabbath  School,  hope  they  have  given  their  hearts  to  God."  They 
are  hoping  in  future  to  secure  the  services  of  their  pastor  for  the  whole  time. — 
Atkinson  will  be  united  probably  with  Bradford. 

31.  Some  improvement  in  the  condition  of  this  people.  "  A  future  home  for 
the  minister  has  been  secured  by  the  purchase  of  twelve  acres  of  good  land,togeth- 
er  with  a  house  and  bam  which  have  been  removed  on  this  lot  of  land,  though  the 
necessary  repairs  are  not  yet  completed." 

32.  Mr.  Hoplev  was  received  with  kindness,  and  the  people  were  disappointed 
that  he  could  notremain  longer  with  them.  Another  missionary  was  appointed  to 
succeed  him,  but  failed  of  fulfilling  his  mission. 

33.  At  the  last  annual  meeting,  several  new  members  were  added  to  the  parish 
and  "the  people  have  contributed  more  for  their  minister's  support  the  present  year 
than  ever  before."     Things  appear  to  be  looking  up  a  little  in  Gray. 

34.  Our  missionary  found  the  people  in  this  place  in  "quite  a  scattered  and  feeble 
state."  His  endeavors  to  strengthen  the  things  that  remained  were  attended  with 
some  degree  of  success.  But  the  suspension  of  public  worship  for  several  months 
can  scarcely  fail  to  have  had  a  disastrous  influence. 

35.  Several  prominent  church  members  and  supporters  of  the  Gospel  (to  the 
amount  of  about  $150)  have  removed  from  this  place.  Very  serious  obstacles^  to 
the  success  of  the  Gospel  are  the  conteutions  and  misconduct  of  professing  christ- 
ians. Yet  God,  has  been  gracious.  "  A  revival  commenced  last  fall,  and  contin- 
ued part  of  the  winter  which  resulted  in  the  hopeful  conversion  of  about  forty 
souls,  mostly  young  persons.  About  thirty  have  already  united  with  the  different 
churches,  and  others  are  expecting  to  unite." 

36.  Mr.  Emerson  left  this  field  of  labor  for  want  of  support.  The  pulpit  of  the 
congregational  meeting-house  in  Houlton  has  been  recently  occupied  by  a  minister 

of  the  Free  Will  Baptist  denomination,  and  much  interest  has  been  awakened. 


44 


TABULAE       "VIE-W- 


Churches  &  Missionaries, 


Date  of 
Commis'n. 


37.  Isle  i>e  Haute. 
Rev.  Joshua  Eaton,  s.  s. 


38.  Industry. 
Rev.  John  Forbush,  s.  s. 


39.  Jackson  &  Bkooks. 
Mr.  N.  P.  Baker. 


40.  Kennebtjnkp't,  lstp. 
Rev.  John  Baker,  p. 


41.  KlTTEF.Y. 

Rev.  A.  W.  Fiske,^. 

42.  Lewiston. 

Rev.  Uriah  Balkam,  p. 


43.  Limixgton. 
Mr.  John  Parsons,  s.  s. 


44.  Lincoln. 
Rev.  Alvan  J.  Bates,/;. 
Matiawamreag  Pt. 


45.  Litchfield. 
Rev.  Benj.  Smith,  p. 

46.  Lovell. 

Rev.  Joseph  Smith,  p. 

47.  Machiasport. 
Bucks  Harbor. 

Rev.  G.  Bacheller,  s.  s. 


June  28,  '55 


12m 


Jan.  11, 1856. 1 


Jan.  25, 1856. 
June  28,  '55. 
June  28,  '55. 
Jan.  11, 1856. 

April  15,  '56. 

June  28,  '55. 

June  28,  '55. 

June  28,  '55. 
June  28,  '55. 


1-2 


12 


12 


12     100 


12 


12 


100 


32 


10 


100 


125 


100 


75 


225 
24 


100 


150 


50 


75 


100 


70 


200 


140 


125 


100 


eh 


07 


0(i 


73 


■10 


53 


so 


26 


5o 


r,o 


■  10 


60 


00 


127 


100 


7o 


3    61 


pS 


18  25 


20* 


20 


10  04 


19  50 


11  38 


10  33 
5  05 


23  50 


45 


K  E  M   \  I!  K  S  . 


37.  '•  The  absorbing  question  with  as  at  present,  is  ab  bouse. 
We  propose  to  move  forward  and  layout  our  means  as  far  as  we  '_ret  them,  trust- 
ing in  Providence  for  success  to  ran-y  it  through."  During  a  season  of  special  re- 
ligious interest  on  Deer  Isle  the  last  winter.  Mr.  Eaton  spent  a  fewwi  ;,- there, 
assisting  the  Bev.  Wm.  A.  Merrill.  For  this  extra  service,  performed  by  consent 
of  the  Trustees,  he  received  a  part  of  his  compensation  (S17,50)  from  tl:  treasury 
of  this  society. 

38.  A  month's  mission  at  Industry,  was  given  to  Mr.  Forbush,  in  the  hope  that  a 
permanent  arrangement  would  be  made  for  him  to  divide  his  labors  between  that 
place  and  Merer.  But  no  such  arrangement  was  made.  At  West  Mills,  in  Indus- 
try, Mr.  Burnham  is  expected  to  preach  one  Sabbath  in  four. 

39.  Mr.  Baker  found  the  people  " hungry  for  preaching."     Liberals 

have  since  been  obtained,  and  the  hope  is  indulged  that  they  will  again  be  blessed 
with  a  stated  ministry. 

40.  Mr.  Baker's  labors  at  Knmebunkport  ceased  the  last  January,  and  in  May 
his  pastoral  relation  to  that  Church  was  dissolved.  They  will  not  be  content  to 
live  without  the  preached  gospel. 

41.  "  The  encouragement  for  building  up  this  Church  and  society  is  small,  for 
lack  of  available  materials,  ami  in  consequence  of  removals  and  little  business." 
Mi'.  Fiske  is  not  expecting  to  remain  at  Kittery  for  more  than  six  mouth-. 

42.  This  Church  and  society  have  been  but  recently  organized,  and  being  in  the 
midst  of  a  numerous  and  rapidly  increasing  population,  have  a  fair  prospect  of  oc- 
cupying very  shortly  an  independent  position.     But  for  this  year,  in  > 

of  the  expense  incurred  by  building  a  chapel,  and  of  not  receiving  anticipate 
from  manufacturing  companies,  they  found  themselves  under  the  necessity  of  so- 
liciting missionary  aid. 

43.  About  a  year  since  Mr.  Garman  was  dismissed  from  this  Church,  and  re- 
moved to  Scarborough.  For  several  months  this  people  remained  destitute.  At 
an  expense  of  $160  they  have  repaired  their  parsonage  and  house  of  worship,  and 
have  now  obtained  the  services  of  one  in  whom  thev  appear  to  be  well  unil 

44.  Something  has  been  done  in  the  way  of  fitting  up  and  rendering  more  com- 
plete the  furnishing  of  the  sanctuary.  A  small  organ  has  been  given  by  friends  in 
Massachusetts.    The  attendance  on  public  worship  has  been  inci  ingthe 

year. 

45.  "  More  has  been  done  the  past  year  for  ministerial  support,  ami  for  I 
olent  objects,  than  ever  before.     Unusual  attention  to  religion  during  the  ".inter  in 
our  neighborhood.    The  Sabbath  school  never  perhaps  more  interesting  than  at 
the  present  time  (June  10)." 

46.  Nothing  of  special  interest  reported. 

47.  It  has  been  the  most  interesting  season,  in  a  religious  point  of  view,  during 
the  last  six  months,  in  this  town,  which  it  has  known  for  the  last  16  years.  See 
more  of  detail  in  another  part  of  this  Report. 


46 


TABULAE       V  I  B  W  . 


lionaries-    Common 


48.  Madison. 

South  Anson. 
Rev.  T.  G.  Mitchell  s.  s. 


49.  Maple  Grove  & 
Fort  Fairfield. 
Block  SchoolHouse 
Salmon  Brook. 

Rev.  E.  Knight  S.  S. 

50.  Mechanic  Falls. 
Rev.  W.  V.  Jordan  s.  s. 


Juue  28,  '55. 


51.  Monmouth. 
Rev.  Jos.  H.  Conant  s.  s. 


52.  Mt.  Desert. 
Rev.  Sam'l  Bowker  s.  s. 


53.  Monson. 
Rev.  Horatio  Ilsley_p.       June  28,  '55, 
Mr.  R.  W.  Emerson  p.     ]Jan.  1, 1856. 

54.  Naples. 
Gasco. 

Mr.  William  Carruthers.  July  26,  '55. 

55.  Newfield  West. 
Rev.  Wm,  Pierce  s.  s. 


June  28,  '55. 
Nov.  29,  '55. 


12m 


150 


12 


June  28,  '55. 
Jan,  11, 1856. 


Jan.  28, 1855 


June  25,  '55. 
Nov.  15,  '55. 


86.  New  Vineyard. 
Klngfield. 
Flagstaff  &  vicinity 
Rev.  David  Turnery 


57.  Norway  Village. 
Rev.  Asa  T.  Lormg/>. 


June  28,  '55, 


12 


275 
100 


63 

75 


17 


■ir, 
50 


83 


47 
7;; 


100 


125 


13 


50 
35 


115 


70 
150 


31 


115 


100 


100 


70 


no 
ch. 


100 


Juno  28,  '55.ll2 


200       175 


71 


32 

37 
10 


43 


117 

25 


13 


15* 


45 


6    75 


4  12 


20 


10 


75  46 


62 


60 


33 


14 


60 


IT 


6    8 


» 2Q 


15 


47 


REMARKS 


48.  Each  of  these  churches  has  been  afflicted  by  the  loss  of  a  highly  valued 

member.  But  the  church  in  Madison  has  been  delightfully  refreshed  by  '•  the 
presence  and  work  of  the  Spirit.''  Four  persons,  whose  former  faint  hopes  have 
strengthened,  and  six  others,  more  recent  converts,  stand  propounded — -June 
■  ;th. — tor  admission  to  the  church.  Two  or  three  others  are  expected. — The  Spirit 
came  without  observation,  in  connection  "  with  ordinary  means  and  efforts." 

49.  "  Xo  special  religious  interest  has  existed  during  the  past  year  either  in  the 
Church  or  among  the  impenitent.-'  The  only  "  success  "  reported  relates  "to  the 
improvement  of  morals,  and  a  inure  full  attendance  upon  the  means  of  grace." 

50.  '-This  church  is  but  a  little  one — only  thirty-one  resident  members  and  some 
of  them  entirely  disabled.     They  are  doing  what  they  can  to  maintain  the  institu- 

f  religion.    Prayer-meetings  are  well  attended.    Sabbath  meetings  one  third 
than  fast  December,  when  I  came  here.    No  special  religious  interest  since 
I  came." 

61.  "  The  church  united  and  in  a  very  quiet  state."  Some  additions  are  ex- 
pected as  the  fruits  of  the  special  religious  interest  of  the  last  winter.  "  We  have 
just  commenced  preparations  for  building  a  meeting-house  at  the  center,  and  hope 
ru  have  it  completed  sometime  the  next  autumn." 

52.  Since  the  lamented  departure  of  Mr.  Ilsley  to  the  west,  this  church  is  again 
blessed  with  a  pastor,  whose  labors  among  them"  began  in  January  last,  and  who 

ination  in  May.  As  the  result  of  prayer-meeting,  in  which  the  Bap- 
tist <  and  Congregationalisms  united,  the  place  has  been  blessed  with  an  interesting 
revival,  "the  subjects  of  which  are,  almost  without  exception,  young  person-.'' 

53.  After  faithfully  laboring  in  this  wide  field  for  two  years,  Mr.  Bowker  thought 
it  his  duty  the  last  September  to  leave,  and  is  now  at  Turner.  Since  his  departure 
this  place  has  not  been 

54.  Xo  prospect  at  present  of  establishing  congregational  preaching  in  these 
places. 

55.  This  society  has  been  weakened  by  removals,  and  serious  injury  has  been 
done  by  the  delu-i  -  Mr.  Pierce  has  taken  his  leave  of  them 
for  thepresent  year  at  least,  and  "  they  feel  very  much  disheartened." 

56.  "  Some  increase  of  interest  in  Xew  Vinevard  of  late." 


57.  During  four  years  many  changes  have  occurred  in  this  congregation  and  the 
Church  have  onlj  eto  little  more  than  hold  on  their  own."  Mill  there 
have  been  cheering  indications  of  progress.  The  pastor's  instructions  of  the 
young  in  a  Bible  class,  and  the  weekJy  prayer-meetings,  have  been  manifestly 
'blessed.  Some  eight  or  nine  person-  have  I o  brought,  as  is  believed,  to  the  sav- 
ing knowledge  of  the  truth,  some  of  whom  have  already  been  united  with  the  church. 


48 


TABULAR       VIE  "W  . 


Churches  &  Missionaries. 


Date  of 

Commis'n 


58.  Norway  Center. 
Rev.  Horace  Pratt  s.  s.     Aug.  13,  '55, 


59.  No.  11 
Masakdis. 
Fort  Kent. 

Rev.  M.  R.  Keep  s.  s.       Jan.  7,  1855, 

60.  Oldtown. 
Rev.  Eben'r  Douglass  p.  Sept.  1, 1855 


61.  Orland. 

Rev.  Hiram  Moulton/>. 

62.  Orono. 

Rev.  S.  L.  Bowler  s.  s. 


63.  Orington,  East. 
Mr.  Prescott  Fay. 


64.  Oxford. 
West  Minot. 

Rev.G.F.Tewksbury* 

65.  Passadumkeag. 

Mr.  Thomas  L.  Ellis. 


66.  Patten  (l-4th  time.) 
vicinity  of  Patten. 

Rev.  Ephraim  Fobes. 

67.  Pembroke. 

Rev.  Geo.  W.  Finney. 

68.  Perry. 

Mr.  J.  W.  Kidder  s.  s. 


69.  Phillips. 

Avon. 
Rev.  S.  L.  Gould  s.  s. 


June  28,  '55 

June  28,  '55 
Sept.  20,  '55 


Nov.  1,  1855 

May  4,  1855, 
July  26,  '55, 

June  28,  '55, 

Dec.  25,  '55 
June  28,  '55, 


12m 


12 


10 


12 


100 


250 


167 


150 


42 
158 


150 
16 


60 


150 


1,hi 


100 


lull 


15(1 


40 


June  28,  '55.'l2     1250 


51 


5(1 


:,-, 


20 


100   41 
50 


■:m 


3  40 


11 


5li 


CO    o 


10  00 


100  10  00 


80 


90 


75 


Go 


25  00 
23  90 


16  32 


9  50 

6  3S 


8  24 


2  1D0 


5  25 


20 


61 
43  19 


40 


R  E  M  A  11  K  S  . 


58.  Some  twenty-four  dollars  have- been  expended  in  fitting  up  the  house  ol 
worship,  and  a  valuable  gift  of  carpets  and  mats  for  the  same  purpose  has  been  re- 

;  from  a  non-resident  sister  ot  the  church.    There  is  propi  rl  in  this 

church  and  parish  to  enable  it  to  live,  and  material  enough  for  a  good  congregation 
udenuyof  the  population  at  the  vil. 

59.  Nothing  particularly  encouraging  reported  from  this  region,  except  the  at- 
tachment expressed  to  our  missionary,  and  tin' desire  for  the  continuance  of  his 
services. 

60.  Mr.  Douglass  was  ordained  pastor  of  this  church  on  the  14th  of  November  last. 
During  the  winter  and  spring  the  church  has  been  blessed  with  a  verypn 
season  of  revival.    Thirty  have  been  added  to  the  church,  and  1  ore  are 
expected.     Of  the  fifty,  three-fifths  are  heads  of  households.    "Unto  God  be  all 

the  glory." 

61.  For  account  of  a  revival  in  this  church,  -  [uent  part  of  this  licport. 

62.  Some  advance  towards  a  self-supporting  condition  was  hoped  for  in  Orono, 
but  in  the  present  state  of  their  affairs  it  has  required  more  than  ordinary  effort  to 
equal  the  payments  of  former  ; 

63.  Mr.  Fay's  services  were  acceptable,  and  an  invitation  was  given  him  to  set- 
tle at  Orriugton,  which  he  declined.  Since  he  left,  the  pulpit  I.  ipplied 
from  the  .Seminary  in  Bangor. 

04.    "At  West  Minot  there  seems  to  he  an  increasing  interest  in  religion  in  sev- 
eral neighborhoods,  where  evening  lectures  have  been  sustained.     Ther< 
01  awakening." 

65.  "  A  few  in  this  place  are  very  desirous  of  having  preaching  at  least  a  part 
of  the  time.  But  there  is  at  present  very  little  material  to  make  a  permanent  re- 
liable congregation."  The  place  has  been  -applied  of  late  with  Baptist  preaching 
•  >ne  half  the  time. 

•'  More  signs  of  declension  at  Patten,  than  of  advancement.  There  is  peace 
and  union  in  the  church,  and  yet  it  seems  to  be  growing  feebler."  In  the  vicinity, 
Mr.  Fobes  hi  I  in  seven  different  places,  to  six  congregations  numbering 

from  fifteen  to  seventy. 

67.  An  unhappy  division  in  this  place  lias  thrown  serious  obstacles  in  the  way 

•  lining  the  preached  Gospel. 

68.  Eight  persons  have  been  cut  off  from  this  church  during  the  year,  and  sev- 
eral others  suspended,  in  other  p  the  work  of  discipline,  but  little 
evidence  seems  to  have  been  given  of  vital  action.  Mr.  Kidder  [sexpecting  to  leave 
at  the  end  of  his  present  mission. 


Nothing  reported  from  this  field  indicative  of  progress 
4 


50 


TABULAE       "V  I  E  "W  . 


Churches  &  Missionaries 


70.   PlTTSTON. 

Rev.  Nath'l  Chapman  s.s. 


71.  Portland. 
(Abysinnian  Church.) 

Rev.  Benj.  Lynch  s.  s. 

72.  ROCKPORT. 

Rev.  A.  L.  Skinner  s.  s. 


73.    RUMFORD. 

Rev.  J.  G.  Merrill  s.  s. 


74.  Sanford. 
Mr.  George  L.  Becker. 


75.  Searsport  East. 
Rev.David  Thurston  s.  s. 


76.  Sedgwick. 

East  Brooksville. 
Rev.  L.  Goodrich  s.  s. 

77.  Skowhegan. 
Rev.  L.  W.  Harris  s.  s. 


78.  St.  Albans. 
Rev.  Henry  White  s.  s. 


79.  Springfield,  Lee  & 
Carroll. 
Mr.  C.  H.  Emerson  s.  s 


Date  of 
Commis'n 


March   1856. 


April  10  '55. 

July   26,  '55. 
Oct.    1,  1855 


June  28,  '55 
March  15,'56. 
June  28,  '55 

June  28,  '55 
Feb.,  1856. 

April  1,  '55. 
June  28,  '55- 


80.  Standish.  75   65 

Rev.  James  P.  Hadley^.  June  20,  '55.12     150 


12m 


12m 
2 


12 


125 


200 


48 
150 


125 


32 


100 


200 
125 


64 


300 


loo 


r  a 


100 


150 


150 


75 


CO 


52 


22 


32 


43 


is 


on 


45 


50 


45 


02 


50 


50 


1   2    2  do.  44  95 


1  25 
6 


[9] 


o* 


20 


13  52 


20 


40 


21 


51 


R  B  M  A  R  K  S. 


70.  "There  was  some  special  religious  awakening  in   this  plac     inthespring, 
chiefly  before  the  comingof  Mr.  C.)  and  its  influence  i-  still  felt.    "  The  congr* 

gationis  larger,"  it  is  said,  "this  season,  thus  far,  than  it  has  beenfor  several  years.'' 

71.  Mr.  Lynch,  at  the  close  of  his  mission,  left  the  church  infested  by  spiritual- 
ism, and  in  a  very  broken  feeble  state. 

72.  '-There  has  been  quite  an  exten.-ive  revival  in  this  community,  com 
mainly  with  the  labors  of  our  Methodist  friends,  hut  extending  throuf 
community,  and  affecting  our  society.    Some  exceedingly  interesting  cases  of  con- 
version have  occurred.     The  interest  has  now  subsided,  but  a  good  state  of  feeling 
exists.     It  is  pleasant  to  see  how  readily  they  put  on  and  keep  on  the  ha:: 

Mr.  Skinner  is  under  a  call  to  become   the  pastor  of  this  church,  but  ha-  not  yel 
given  his  answer. 

73.  -  A  better  Btate  of  feeling  and  action   in  the  church.     Increased  interest  in 

©1  and  Bible  Class.    One  hundred  dollars  have  been  expended  in 

repairing  the  house  of  worship." 

74.  Unhappy  divisions  have  existed  here,  but  the  hope  i-  expressed  "of  the  re- 
union of  the  professed  followers   of  Christ.    Quite  a   number  attend  and  pay 

toward-  the  support  of  preaching,  who  never  did  before."     Mr.  Becker  has 

ed  to  remain  for  a  year. 

75.  A  "disastrous  influence"  is  exerted  upon  the  spiritual  interests  of  many  in 
tin-  society  by  their  being  absent  the  greater  part  of  the  time  at  -'a.  There  is  in 
general  a  very  good  attendance  on  public  worship  of  those  at  home,  and  if  those 
concerned  in  navigation  had  been  as  highly  prospered  the  past  year  as  before,  the 
society  might  have  dispensed  with  any  further  missionary  aid. 

7»3.  The  ministry  of  Mr.  Goodrich  at  Sedgwick  ceased  in  March,  and  "the) 
do  not  think  of  sustaining  meetings  the  coming  year;"  except  for  a  few  Sabbaths 

that  portion  of  the  Church  and  Society  who  live  in  Iirooklin. 

77.  A  hall  has  been  purchased  and  very  conveniently  fitted  up  for  public  wor. 
ship  in  this  populous  and  growing  village;  and  the  attendance  given  and  interest  ex- 
pressed in  the  services  of  .Mi'.  11.,  thus  far,  have  been  highly  encouraging.      A  Sab 

bath  Scl 1  has   been    organized   under   favorable    auspices.      Mr.    II.    preaches   at 

Skowhegan  the  whole  time. 

7-.  The  destitutions  in  this  region  are  truly  appaling.  There  is  but  one  settled 
minister  of  any  denomintion  in  some  ten  towns  lying  contiguous  to  each  other. 
At  St.  Albans  there  are  some  indications  of  progress. 

~V79.     The  sen'ices  of  Mr.  Emerson  have  been  highly  acceptable.      Of  late   an 

effort  ha-  been  made  with  g 1  pro-pet  of  success,  of  procuring  the  means  of 

building  in  Springfield  a  house  of  worship. 

80.  "  Two  individuals  appear  (June  13)  quite  anxious.  Several  young  men  and 
women  have  entered  the  Sabbath  School  for  the  first  time."  An  effort  is  in  pro. 
gress  to  obtain  an  organ. 


52 


TABULAE        "VIE-W. 


Churches  &  Missionaries. 


81.  Strong. 
Rev.  Wm.  Davenport,  p. 


82.  Sumner  I 

South  Hartford,  \ 

Rev.  Benj.  G.  Willey,^. 


S3.  Sweden. 
Rev.  Chas.  B.  Smith,  s.  s 


84.  Temple. 

Rev.  Simeon  Hackett,s.s. 

85.  Turner. 

Rev.  Sam'l  Bowker,  s.  s. 


86.  Union. 
Rev.  Daniel  F.  Potter,/). 


87.  Unity. 

Freedom. 
Rev.  Nath'l  Chapman. 


38.  Vassalborougii. 

Sidney. 
Mr.  F.  Southworth,  s.  s. 


89.  Waldoboro'  Bay. 
(One-half  the  time.) 
Rev.  N.  W.  Sheldon,  s.  s. 


90.  Washington. 
(One-half  the  time.) 

Rev.  N.  W.  Sheldon,  s.  s 

91.  Waterville. 
Rev.  Wm.  B.  Green,  p. 


Date  of 
Commiss'n 


June  28,  '55. 

June  28,  '55. 
June  28,  '55. 

June  28,  '55. 
Dec.  1, 1855. 

June  28,  '55 
March  1,  '55, 


July  26,  '55. 
Jan.  25, 1856 
May  20,1856 


Jan.  11,1855 

Aug.  13,  '55 
Sept.  20,  '55. 


12m 


12 


V2 


L2 


9| 


175 


84 


150 


100 


112  50 


250 


46 


125 


Co 


125 


100 


Km 


175 


64 


77 


.-(> 


To 


30 


32 


57 


U 


80 


60 


60 


80 


100 


16  50 


15 


12  70 


6  85 
15  72 


21  41 


[1216] 
[3375] 


13  18 


11  50 


[6  50] 


!•■• 


19  25 


66  5C 
6  58 


53 


R  EM  A  R  K  s 


81  Property  in  the  parish  somewhat  lessened.  Attendance  on  public  worship 
and  at  the  Sabbath  School  lessened  by  Loss  of  thebridge.  "General  harmony,but 
unu<ual  Indifference  and  worldliness." 

82  In  the  revival  in  Sunnier  and  Hartford,  the  Last  winter,  other  denomina- 
tions'largely  shared.  "The  subjects  of  the  work  with  us  are  principally  grown 
persons,  several  of  them  heads  of  families."  "The  building  of  a  new  meeting- 
house has  been  commenced,  and  is  in  a  good  state  of  forwardness." 

83  "  This  church  has  had  a  severe  trial  during  the  year,  in  disciplining 
lcous.    Theresull  has  I d  to  bind  the  members  together  in  closer  bonds, 

levelop  a  manly  independence,  but  rarely  found  in  a  church  so  small  and 
feeble"  Within  the 'two  Last  years,  beside  Borne  other  extra  expenditures,  they 
have  bought  a  parsonage.  Few' Churches  in  the  State  have  a  stronger  claim  for 
sympathy  and  aid. 

84.  Some  advance  made  during  the  year. 

85.  The  building  of  a  new  house  of  worship  in  the  village  has  been  from  vari- 
ous causes  delayed,  but  will  be  completed,  it  is  believed,  the  next  autumn.  For 
an  account  of  the  precious  revival  still  in  progress  in  this  place,  see  a  subsequent 
part  of  this  report. 

86.  This  church  has  been  weakened  by  deaths  and  removals,  and  some  of  its 
member-  are  withdrawn  from  active  service  by  age  and  sickness.  But  their  de- 
sire is  unabated  fo  ihd  this  desire  is  s(  correspond- 
ing effort. 

87.  At  the  expiration  of  the  year  for  which  Mr.  Chapman  was  engaged  in  this 
field,  he  removed  to  Pittston.  The  church  at  Unity  thought  it  best  to  give  their 
attendance  and  aid  in  concurrence  with  churches  *ul*  other  evangelical  denomina- 
tions. 

88.  There  is  but  small  encouragement  to  hope  for  the  building  up  of  a  strong 
self-supporting  Church  in  either  or  these  places.  Mr.  Southworth  has  labored 
with  them  the  mo  ime  during  the  year  past,  to  very  good  acceptance. 
Provision  has  been  made  at  Vassalboro'  for  repairing  their  house  of  worship. 

89.  This  2d  Church  in  Waldoborough  was  organized  on  the  4th  of  March  last, 
ting  in  part  of  the  fruits  of  a  recent  revival   in  that  town.    A  house  of  wor- 
ship had  been  previously  built    The  prospect  is  fair  of  building  up  a  good  so- 
ciety. 

90.  By  the  labors  of  Mr.  Sheldon,  this  church  seems  to  have  been  quickened, 
and  so  ut  the  time  when  his  mission  ended,  appeared  more 
than  usually  thoughtful 

91.  Several  families  have  removed  westward.  Some  improvements  have  late- 
ly been  made  in  the  house  of  worship. 


54 


TABULAE       ■VIE-W. 


a 

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•d 

a 
o 

"3 
o 

03 

s 

o 

m 

03 

0 

'- 

fSi 

w 

a 

e3 

T. 

2 

-jg 

z_ 

O    rr, 

w 

Churches  &  Missionaries. 

Date  of 
Conimis'n. 

o 
O 

1 

03 
H 

o 

03 

,c 
S 

03 

c 

u 

(13 

Z 
> 

*-  a 

to   O 

O   to 

o 

03 

o 

en 
O 

a 

— 

o 

C3 

*■§§ 

03 

£ 

H 

03 

— 

^3 

1 

£ 

,g 

tii 

rt 

!- 

j- 

0} 

03 

c 

O' 

3 

O) 

P 

-r 

~ 

p< 

s 

o 

>• 

r-= 

— 

T3 

c 

d 

o 

o 

i-i 

« 

<$ 

u 

< 

< 

w 

fc 

u 

to 

92.  Weld. 

95 

40 

2 

125 

8  22 

12  88 

Kev.  S.  Titcomb  p. 

June  28,  '55. 

12m 

100 

93.  Whitneyville. 

130 

25 

8 

75 

JONESBOKO'. 

14 

Marshfield. 

no 

Rev.  Isaac  Weston  s.  s. 

May  15,  '55. 

12 

48 

ch. 

94.  Wilton. 

too 

65 

4 

2 

60 

20  19 

8 

Rev.  Alpha  Morton  s.  s. 

May  15,  '55. 

7  h 

125 

Rev.  John  Baker  s.  s. 

Jan.  17, 1856. 

5   i 

92 

95.  Winnegance  (in 

Bath  &  Phipsburg.) 

75 

no 

23 

Rev.  Sam'l  H.  Merrill. 

Jan.  9,  1856. 

3 
5 

24 

ch. 

Mr.  Charles  F.  Morse. 

March  8,  '56. 

n 

16 

!»6.  Winslow. 

125 

65 

2 

100 

13  18 

20 

Rev.  D.  Shepley  s.  s. 

June  28,  '55. 

12 

150 

97.  Woolwich. 

175 

Rev.  S.  S.  Drake  s.  s. 

June  28,  '55. 
Jan.  11, 1856 

6 
6 

50 
62 

150 

53 

75 

[20] 

98.  York  2d  parish. 

100 

32 

3 

1 

77 

18 

12 

Rev.  Morris  Holman.^5. 

June  28,  '55. 

12 

125 

55 


K  i:  MARKS. 


92.  "An  attentive  audience  on  the  Sabbath— a  full  attendance  on  the  (Sabbath) 

and  the  interest  manifested  in  the  Sabbath  School  by  both  parents 
and  children,"  are  mentioned  as  grounds  of  encouragement. 

93.  Our  missionary  was  cordially  received.  In  W.  there  bad  been  Borne  awak- 
ening under  Methodist  preaching,  and  several  young  persons  were  indulging  hope. 
The  church  seems  already  to  have  been  much  encouraged  and  quickened.  At  Jones- 
boro'  where  for  several  years  they  have  been  without  preaching,  "there  is 
waking  up  on  the  subject.  They  have  a  flourishing  Sabbath  School  and  things  of 
a  serious  nature  are  working  up." 

94.  This  people  were  much  afflicted  by  the  departure  of  Mr.  Morton   to 
chusetts  the  last  autumn,  but  his  place  has  been  well  supplied  by  one  whom  they 
hope  to  retain.     They  have  commenced  the  building  of  another  house    of  worship 
in  the  center  of  the  village,  and  hope  to  complete  it  by  another  spring. 

95.  This  place  is  a  village  some  four  miles  below  thecity  of  Bath,  where  is  a 
population  of  600  souls,  and  many  persons  actively  and  prosperously  engaged  in 
milling  and  ship-building.  It  is  hoped  that  it'  the  ground  should  be  occupied  by  a 
judicious,  faithful  Missionary,  the  foundation  may  shortly  be  laid  of  a  flourishing 
'Church  and  Society.  Mr.  Merrill  (first  sentthere)  being  called  away  to  the  Bethel 
in  Portland,  his  place  was  supplied  for  several  weeks  by  Mr.  Morse,  from  the  Sem- 
inary in  Andover,  who  labored  in  W.,  (during  the  spring  vacation  in  that  Institu- 
tion,) with  much  diligence  and  success.  Twenty-three  individuals,  "  all  of  them 
grown  up  persons,"  have  expressed  a  hope  in  Christ. 

9G.     "  Looking  back  five  years  nearly,"  says  the  highly  esteei 1  laborer  in  this 

field,  "I  think  I  can  see  a  very  decided  change  for  the  better.*'  Though  some  mem- 
bers of  the.  society  pay  a  little  less  than  one  fourth  per  cent,  upon  their  property,  yet 
some  advance  has  been  made  by  the  society  in  general  in  their  subscriptions  for 
the  support  of  their  minister,  and  during  the' past  year  §100  more  were  given  than 
he  was  entitled  to  by  contract. 

97.  "An  increasing  attendance — more  engagedness  on  the  part  of  the  church,  and 
several  instances  of  individual  seriousness."     The  two  houses  of  worship  in  which 

Mr.  Drake  alternately  preaches  have  recently  been  repaired. 

98.  "  The  general  aspect  of  the  place  the  same  as  before. 


To  the  feeble  Church  in  Lisbon  a  very  valuable   -  -  rendered   during 

six  week-  in  the  spring,  by  Mr.  J.  II.  Windsor  from  Iowa,  a  member  of  the  Middle 
class  in  the  Seminary  in  Andover,  who  very  kindly  offered, though  not  a  licentiate, 
ami  therefore  not  commissioned  by  the  Trustees  of  this  Society,  to  conduct  re- 
ligion- meetings,  and  labor  in  various  ways  for  their  spiritual  good,  asking  nothing 
or  the  people,  but  his  board,  and  the  payment  of  his  travelling  expenses.  lie  was 
•' most  cordially  received,"  and  bis  services  were  highly  acceptable,  lie  left  tin- 
place  "with  many  regrets,"  believing  thafthe  fieid  was  whitening  for  the  harvest," 
and  anxiously  inquiring  "who  shall  gather  the  fruits." 


SUMMARY. 


Our  missionaries  have  labored  during  the  year  in  98  mis- 
sionary fields,  comprising  108  churches,  and  about  30  towns 
and  settlements,  where  are  no  churches.  Of  the  several 
places  thus  occupied,  45  have  been  supplied  all  the  time,  12 
three-fourths,  20  half  the  time  and  upwards,  and  23  one- 
fourth  and  upwards. 

The  missionaries  employed  have  been  95;  of  whom  77 
were  ordained  ministers.  Fifty-seven  have  been  in  commis- 
sion all  the  year ;  14  for  six  months  and  upwards ;  and  24 
for  periods  less  than  six  months.  Two  pastors  of  churches, 
and  six,  who  for  one  or  two  years  had  been  stated  supplies, 
have  relinquished  their  respective  charges.  Five  of  the 
eight  have  left  the  State,  and  three  are  still  laboring  within 
its  limits.  Over  seven  of  the  churches  receiving  missionary 
aid,  pastors  have  been  installed. 

Two  churches  (West  Falmouth  and  Edgecomb)  which 
heretofore  have  supported  their  pastors  without  assistance, 
have  during  the  last  year  sought  help  and  received  it.  A 
new  church  has  been  organized,  of  27  members,  at  Waldo- 
borough  Bay,  with  a  new  house  of  worship,  and  with  fair 
prospects  of  stability  and  growth.  In  the  settlement  called 
Winnegance,  partly  within  the  limits  of  Bath,  and  partly 
within  that  of  Phipsburgh,  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  in- 
troduce Congregational  preaching,  and  to  prepare  the  way 
for  the  organization  of  a  Congregational  church.  Our  mis- 
sionaries there  have  been  kindly  received,  and  their  labors, 


57 

being  accompanied  by  the  graciona  influences  of  the  Spirit, 
have  resulted  in  several  hopeful  conversions. 

The  number  added  to  the  several  churches  during  the 
past  year,  has  been  235;  by  professsion  150,  and  85  b\ 
letter. 

The  whole  number  of  members  reported  is  4809.  The 
hopeful  conversions  during-  the  year  have  been  346,  a  num- 
ber very  considerably  larger  than  in  any  other  year  since 
1842.  The  amount  contributed  to  the  Maine  Missionary 
Society  has  been  si  144,75  ;  to  other  objects  of  benevolence. 
$1007,30;  in  all,  $2152,05;  being  about  20  per  cent,  upon 
the  amount  received  from  this  Society. 

STATE     OP     THE    TEEASURY. 

The  balance  on  hand  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  was 
$2420,83.  More  than  $800  of  this  amount  might  be  regard- 
ed as  a  surplus  fund;  being  the  excess  of  money  received 
during  the  year  ending  June  25th,  1855,  beyond  what  was 
in  the  Treasury  at  the  commencement  of  that  year.  This 
Society  being  auxiliary  to  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society,  upon  condition  of  paying  over  to  that  institution 
"  its  surplus  funds,"  good  faith  seemed  to  require  a  fulfill- 
ment of  that  condition;  and  in  August  last  $500  were  re- 
mitted to  Xew  York. 

An  attempt  has  been  made  during  the  past  year  to  make 
to  such  of  our  missionaries  as  might  desire  it,  quarterly 
payments.  Every  such  application  in  October  last  was  com- 
plied with.  In  January  there  would  have  been  a  serious 
deficiency  of  means,  but  for  the  very  opportune  payment  of 
a  legacy  of  $1000  from  the  late  Mr.  Folsom  of  Bucksport, 
Payments  for  the  third  quarter  were  requested  to  the  amount 
of  more  than  $1250,  and  though  not  so  promptly  as  was  de- 
sirable, have  been  paid. 


58 

The  whole  amount  received  during  the  year  by  donations, 
has  been  $9,144,75  ;  by  legacies,  $2,651 ;  from  other  sources, 
$667,89— in  all,  $12,463,64;  of  which  $520,70  were  not  at 
once  available  to  the  benefit  of  this  Society.  From  the  State, 
during  the  year,  has  been  paid  directly  to  the  Institution  at 
New  York  $511,82;  making  an  aggregate  of  contribution 
to  the  cause  of  Home  Missions  from  congregations  and  indi- 
viduals in  Maine,  during  the  year,  of  $9,656,57.  The 
amount  this  day  due  from  the  Society,  for  labor  already  per- 
formed, is  about  $4,650.  Its  liabilities  for  commissions  vir- 
tually granted,  but  not  yet  fulfilled,  $1,600.  Towards  meet- 
ing these  claims,  we  have  now  in  our  treasury  $841,89. 

NEED    OP     MORE     LABORERS. 

Neither  during  the  last  year,  nor  for  several  years  preced- 
ing, has  help  been  withheld  from  any  feeble  church  request- 
ing it  for  want  of  funds.  But  the  men  that  were  needed  we 
have  not  always  been  able  to  find.  More  laborers  are  want- 
ed, not  only  as  pastors  and  stated  supplies  of  feeble  church- 
es, but  as  evangelists,  traversing  wide  fields,  and  visiting  in 
rotation  several  churches  and  places  in  which  no  church  or- 
ganization exists.  One  of  our  missionaries  speaks  of  some 
"  ten  towns,  lying  contiguous  to  each  other,  where  there  is 
but  one  settled  minister  of  any  denomination."  It  would  not 
be  difficult  to  find  within  the  limits  of  the  State,  other  regions 
equally  extensive  and  equally  destitute.  Could  more  men 
be  found  of  the  right  stamp — the  Father  Sewall  stamp — 
willing  to  engage  in  the  work  of  an  itinerant,  a  portion  of 
the  funds  of  the  Society  might  well  be  employed  in  main- 
taining them. 

Let  His  directions  be  suitably  regarded,  who,  beholding 
the  paucity  of  laborers,  compared  with  the  plenteousness  of 


59 

the  harvest,  bids  as  pray  thai  laborers  may  be  sent  forth. 
and  He  will  furnish  a  larger  supply. 

In  the  mean  time  let  us  remember,  that  the  cause  of  Home 
Missions  throughout  our  territory  is  one.  There  arc  States 
and  Territories  of  vast  extent,  more  needy  than  Maine,  in 
which,  also,  by  reason  of  the  rapid  increase  of  population 
and  wealth,  the  encouragement  for  missionary  labor  is  great- 
er than  in  Maine;  and  if  all  which  is  contributed  in  this 
State  should  not  for  the  present  be  needed  by  the  men  ac- 
tually laboring  within  our  own  borders,  let  us  rejoice  that 
we  may  aid  in  the  still  mightier  work  of  evangelizing  the 
West. 

In  Massachusetts,  less  than  $5,000  were  expended  for 
missionary  labor  within  that  Commonwealth  during  the  year 
ending  with  May  last ;  while  upwards  of  $50,000  collected 
in  that  State,  were  paid  into  the  treasury  of  the  American 
Home  Missionary  Society.  In  Maine,  let  us  do  what  we  can 
to  provide  for  our  own.  But  to  be  wholly  unmindful  of  the 
Macedonian  cry,  winch  comes  to  us  from  the  great  valley  of 
the  Mississippi,  and  from  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  would 
be  hiding  ourselves  from  our  own  flesh ;  would  be  not  only 
disregarding  the  claims  of  a  common  humanity,  of  a  com- 
mon country,  but  withholding  a  helping  hand  from  our  own 
brothers  and  sisters,  our  own  sons  and  daughters. 

If  our  annual  contributions  to  the  great  cause  of  home 
missions,  were  ten-fold  larger,  the  whole  amount  would  be 
needed,  and  might  be  very  profitably  expended. 

In  another  way,  our  churches  are  contributing  both  mate- 
rial and  spiritual  aid  to  the  evangelization  of  the  country. 
One  missionary  brother  speaks  of  five  or  six  young  men, 
who  had  left  his  congregation  during  the  past  year,  '-for  oth- 
er parts  of  the  land,"  all  of  whom  had  become  interested  in 
religion,  and  given  evidence  of  piety.    Another  writes  thus  : 


60 

"  Several  of  our  young  people  have  become  pious,  and  we 
are  happy  to  learn  that  they  are  making  themselves  useful 
in  other  churches,  if  not  in  ours.  Some  are  in  Portland, 
some  in  Boston,  some  in  New  York,  and  others  are  in  Vir- 
ginia, Minnesota,  Wisconsin,  and  California.  The  more  en- 
terprising and  promising  of  our  young  people  leave  home, 
as  soon  as  they  come  of  age,  and  some  at  an  earlier  period. 
From  childhood  upward,  they  need  religious  training  in  the 
family,  the  sanctuary  and  the  Sabbath  School.  The  labor 
which  we  have  performed  in  this  direction,  has  been  attend- 
ed with  encouraging  results." 

HOLD    ON. 

From  facts  like  these,  we  may  derive  encouragement  to 
hold  on  in  the  effort  to  sustain  feeble  churches,  even  when 
they  are  making  no  perceptible  progress  towards  a  self- 
supporting  condition.  While  they  and  their  pastors  are 
raising  up  the  children  to  serve  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
to  do  good  to  their  country  and  to  mankind,  our  help  is  not 
granted  in  vain,  and  we  can  afford  to  have  long  patience  and 
perseverance  in  bestowing  it. 

It  is  peculiarly  gratifying  to  receive  from  some  of  our 
missionaries  such  accounts  as  the  following:  "I  regard  this 
church,"  says  one,  "  as  a  model  church  for  enterprize  and 
benevolence,  as  well  as  for  active  piety."  "  I  regard  this 
field,"  says  another,  "as  an  encouraging  one.  There  is  har- 
mony of  action  on  the  part  of  church  and  parish,  and  the 
church  are  ready  to  stand  in  their  place,  and  do  what  they 
may.  It  is  pleasant  to  see  how  readily  they  put  on  and 
keep  on  the  harness.  We  have  some  most  excellent  mem- 
bers, working  men  and  women."  After  this,  we  are  not  sur- 
prised to  learn  that  "  the  congregation  has  increased,  and 
there  is   quite  a  prospect  of  considerable  increase  to  the 


fil 

church."  Sow  affecting  a  contrast  is  presented  in  another 
communication.  ••  We  have  much  opposition  to  enoounter; 
but  that  is  not  half  bo  discouraging,  as  the  spiritual  death 
that  reigns  in  the  church.  There  has  been  some  degree  of 
interest  and  tenderness  on  the  part  of  the  impenitent.  The 
Spirit  seemed  to  be  near.  bu1  the  church  appeared  to  be 
dead,  and  no  effort  of  mine  could  arouse  them  and  bring 
them  to  action.  1  felt  that  I  had  more  sympathy  in  my  la- 
bors out  of  the  church,  than  in  it.  The  people  have  not 
paid  me  yet,"  (when  eleven  months  of  the  year  had  expired.) 
"  one-third  of  their  subscription.  There  has  been  nothing 
at  all  contributed  for  home  missions,  or  for  [any  other  be- 
nevolent object." 

Cau  such  a  church  prosper  ?  Will  the  Lord  bestow  his 
blessing  upon  it  ?  How  small  the  encouragement  fortius 
Society  to  extend  to  such  a  church  its  fostering  care  !  It  is 
not  the  design  of  Missionary  Societies  to  relieve  feeble 
churches  from  the  necessity  of  exertion  and  self-sacrifice 
for  their  own  benefit,  but  rather  to  invite  them  to  self-deny- 
ing effort.  It  has  been  well  said,  that  "  that  which  relieves 
the  needy  from  exertions,  which  they  would  otherwise  make 
for  themselves,  ceases  to  be  a  help,  and  becomes  a  hindrance, 
adding  weakness  instead  of  strength."  If,  therefore,  mis- 
sionary aid  is  not  productive  of  increased  endeavors  on  the 
part  of  those  who  receive  it,  to  sustain  their  own  institu- 
tions, and  to  make  advances,  if  possible,  towards  a  self- 
supporting  condition,  we  fail  in  one  important  particular  of 
doing  the  good  that  we  desire ;  and  it  becomes  a  very  seri- 
ous question,  whether  it  be  not  our  duty  to  withhold  any 
farther  nutriment  from  those  withering,  unfruitful  branches, 
before  they  are  wholly  dead.  Even  when  the  minister  is  not 
all  that  could  be  wished,  is  that  a  reason  why  the  people 
should  not  fulfill  their  own   engagments  ?  why  the  church 


62 

should  let  go  its  hold  on  God  ?  or  should  refrain  from  all 
those  efforts  which  they  are  required  to  make  for  their  own 
spiritual  good,  and  for  the  salvation  of  the  perishing  around 
them? 

ADVANCE. 

Indications  of  advance  during  the  past  year,  may  be  found 
in  the  increase  of  what  is  raised  by  some  societies  for  the 
support  of  their  ministers ;  in  expenditures  in  some  places 
for  repairing  the  parsonage  and  sanctuary ;  in  purchasing 
and  fitting  up  a  hall  for  public  worship  at  Skowhegan ;  in 
building  houses  of  worship  at  Lewiston,  Waldoborough,  and 
West  Brooksville ;  in  the  progress  towards  completion  of 
the  same  good  work  at  Sumner  and  Turner ;  and  in  hopeful 
beginnings  for  a  similar  purpose  at  Monmouth,  Sebago,  Isle 
de  Haute,  "Wilton,  and  Springfield. 

REVIVALS. 

But  in  reviewing  the  past  year,  the  most  delightful  feature 
is  to  be  found  in  those  precious  revivals,  with  which  several 
of  our  missionary  churches  have  been  blessed,  including 
some  that  were  in  a  condition  of  extreme  depression  and 
weakness.  Thus  at  Baldwin,  where  but  nine  church  mem- 
bers remain,  all  of  whom,  but  one,  are  females,  a  very  pleas- 
ant religious  interest  existed  during  the  winter  and  spring — 
the  fruits  of  which  are  about  forty  hopeful  converts — some 
of  whom,  it  is  hoped,  will  connect  themselves  with  the  Con- 
gregational church. 

At  Orland,  an  unusual  spirit  of  prayer  was  noticed  at  the 
annual  concert  of  prayer  for  colleges.  Meetings  for  prayer 
were  held  every  evening  during  the  month  of  March.  Al- 
most all  who  have  expressed  hope  in  Christ,  are  persons  in 
middle  life. 

At  Burlington,  the  interest  commenced  with  the  young 


63 

married  people,  and  several  new  family  altars  have  been 
erected.  No  extra  means  have  been  employed,  and  no  out- 
ward excitement  has  been  manifest.  About  twelve  cases 
have  occurred  of  hopeful  conversion.  Difficulties  previ- 
ously existing  in  the  church,  have  been  settled,  and  persons 
united  who  were  at  variance. 

Quite  an  extensive  revival  has  taken  place  in  the  village 
of  Rockport,  connected  mainly  with  the  labors  of  Metho- 
dist brethren,  but  extending  through  the  whole  community, 
and  affecting  the  infant  church  and  society  in  our  connec- 
tion. 

Amidst  some  peculiar  difficulties  and  discouragements,  the 
Lord  has  been  pleased  to  bless  the  church  in  Harrison.  A 
revival  commenced  last  fall,  and  continued  part  of  the  win- 
ter, commencing  among  the  Baptists,  but  extending  to  sev- 
eral families  of  the  Congregational  society,  which  has  re- 
sulted in  the  hopeful  conversion,  in  all  about  forty,  most- 
ly young  people,  of  whom  fifteen  or  sixteen  have  attended 
on  the  worship,  and  been  connected  with  the  Sabbath  School 
of  our  denomination. 

In  connexion  with  ordinary  means  and  efforts,  the  Spirit 
has  come,  like  the  gentle  dew,  to  the  church  and  society  at 
Madison  Bridge,  strengthening  the  very  faint  hope  that  some 
individuals  had  before  indulged,  and  causing  several  others 
to  rejoice  in  hope,  who  before  were  living  without  hope  and 
without  God  in  the  world. 

The  feeble  church  at  Oldtown,  reported  the  last  year  as 
consisting  of  twenty-six  members,  within  a  short  time  after 
the  settlement  of  its  present  pastor,  has  experienced  a  very 
precious  season  of  refreshing  and  enlargement.  Forty  per- 
sons are  reported  as  being  recently  renewed,  and  from  six 
to  ten  reclaimed.  Thirty  persons  were  admitted  to  the 
church,  on  the  18th  of  May,  and  twenty  more  are  expected 


64 

at  the  next  communion.     Thirty  out  of  the  fifty  who  will 
then  have  been  added  to  the  church;  are  heads  of  families. 

Of  twelve  hopeful  converts  in  the  congregation  at  Sum- 
ner, the  greater  number  are  of  adult  age,  and  several  of 
them  heads  of  families. 

From  the  church  and  society  at  Machiasport,  which  have 
long  been  in  a  declining  and  distracted  state,  we  have  the 
following  account : 

'•During  the  year,  there  has  been  gratifying  attention  to 
preaching  and  other  means  of  grace.  Many  of  our  young 
men,  who  had  been  in  the  habit  of  going  after  error,  now 
attend  our  meeting.  Many  members  of  the  church  are  en- 
joying a  very  pleasant  state  of  religious  feeling.  There 
have  probably  been,  during  the  year,  in  town,  about  forty- 
five  instances  of  hopeful  conversion,  mostly  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Buck's  Harbor ;  an  unusual  proportion  are  heads  of 
families,  from  twenty-five  to  thirty-five  years  of  age.  We 
have  not  known  so  interesting  a  season  in  this  place,  for  the 
last  sixteen  years." 

<;  When  I  came  to  this  people  last  November,"  writes  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Bowkei,  from  Turner,  "  I  was  met  with  a  kind  and 
cordial  reception.  There  had  been  to  a  considerable  extent, 
an  experience  of  reverses.  But  they  were  not  entirely  dis- 
couraged. Their  motto  was — faint  but  pursuing.  During 
the  winter,  we  almost  believed  that  there  were  some  tokens 
of  the  Spirit's  presence.  But  not  until  April,  did  it  fully 
appear  that  a  cloud  of  mercy  was  gathering  over  us.  We 
were  taken  by  surprise,  when  it  was  known  that  a  spirit  of 
anxious  solicitude  had  gained  possession  of  many  minds. 
During  these  two  and  a  half  months,  this  precious  work  of 
grace  has  been  progressing.  Noiselessly  and  peacefully,  as 
a  summer's  eveming,  the  Divine  Spirit  has  gone  from  house 
to  house,  and  from  heart  to  heart,  till  fathers  and  mothers, 


65 

sons  and  daughters,  to  the  number  of  twenty-five,  have  be- 
come the  hopeful  subjects  of  grace.  And  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
still  moving  (June  1G)  upon  many  minds,  and  the  prayer  is 
going  up  from  many  hearts  that  the  Lord  would  abide  with 
us.  The  members  of  this  church  have  been  greatly  revived 
and  encouraged.  Their  spiritual  strength  lias  been  renewed. 
and  there  is  an  unwonted  degree  of  harmony  in  their  cflbrts 
for  the  enlargement  of  Zion's  borders.  Thirteen  were  pro- 
pounded for  admission  to  the  church  the  last  Sabbath,  and 
it  is  hoped  that  as  many  more  will  soon  be  found  ready  to 
make  profession  of  their  faith  in  Christ." 

Other  missionary  fields  that  have  been  blessed,  arc  East 
and  West  Brooksville,  Winnegance,  Monson,  Norway  Vil- 
lage, Brownfield,  Bristol,  and'Blanchard. 

The  American  Home  Missionary  Society. 

during  the  last  year,  has  received  and  expended  nearly 
>iii'0.000.  The  laborers  in  its  employ  have  been  986  ;  oc- 
cupying nearly  twice  that  number  of  stations.  Fifty-six  new 
churches  have  been  organized.while  50  churches  before  aided, 
have  risen  to  independence.  Five  thousand  six  hundred  and 
two  members  have  been  added  to  the  churches  assisted  by 
it:  50  revivals  of  religion  are  reported,  and  2005  souls  |  bj 
352  missionaries)  as  hopefully  converted.  During  the  70 
years  of  its  existence,  the  gospel  has  been  proclaimed  through 
its  missionaries  at  4300  stations,in  36  States  and  Territories ; 
137,941  souls  have  been  gathered  into  churches  receiving- 
its  aid;  and  of  these  churches,  "  1000  have  passed  from  the 
list  of  its  beneficiaries  to  that  of  its  patrons."  It  is  most 
earnestly  and  devoutly  to  be  wished,  that  this  noble  institu- 
tion, with  its  auxiliaries,  and  all  other  evangelical  associa- 
tions engaged  in  Home  Missions  in  these  United  States, 
may  carry  forward  this  great  work  with  unabated  zeal,  and 
5 


66 

augmented  vigor.     Very  much  land  yet  remaineth  to  be  pos- 
sessed.    The  places  of  ministers,  not  suffered  to  continue 
by  reason  of  death,  call  for  a  new  supply.     New  churches 
are  forming,  that  need  pastors.     New  settlements  are  mul- 
tiplying with  astonishing  rapidity,  demanding  at  their  very 
birth  the  institutions  of  the   Gospel.     Does  not  this  whole 
land,  with  its  teeming  millions  and  its  immense  resources, 
belong  to  Jesus  Christ?    Is  it  not  a  part  of  His  purchased, 
promised   possession  ?      Much   of    error   must   be    "  over- 
turned "  and  removed,  before  He  can  reign  over  its  whole 
extent.     Even  now  dark  clouds  are  lowering ;  and  mighty 
efforts  are  put  forth  to  strengthen  opposing  interests,  and 
give  them  the  ascendancy.     But  we  will  hope  in  God — 
the  God  of  our  fathers — who  has  planted  in  this  land  a  peo- 
ple dear  to  Him — a  people  who  love  and  honor  Him.     Thy 
kingdom  come,  is  their  daily  prayer.     The  interests  of  that 
kingdom  they  seek  first  to  promote,  and  while  they  pray 
and  labor  for  its  advancement,  the  God  of  Heaven  He  will 
prosper  them.     Let  them  labor  on,  in  the  spirit  of  depend" 
ence  on  Him,  and  with  much  prayer  for  His  favor  and  bless- 
ing, in  the  mighty  enterprise  of  spreading  through  this  whole 
land  the  light  and  grace  of  the  glorious  Gospel, — the  day 
will  come,  which  Jeremiah  Evarts,  before  he  ascended  to 
o-lory,  saw  in  vision ;  "  when  the  sun,  as  he  rises  on  a  Sab- 
bath morning,  and  travels  westward  from  New  England  to 
Oregon,  shall  behold  converted  millions  assembling,  as  if  by 
a  common  impulse,  in  the  temple,  with  which  every  valley, 
mountain  and  plain   shall    be   adorned;  and   the   morning 
psalm  and  evening  anthem,  commencing  with  the  multitudes 
on  the  Atlantic  coast,  shall  be  sustained  by  the  loud  chorus 
of  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  in  the  valley  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  prolonged  by  thousands  of  thousands  on  the 
shores  of  the  Pacific." 


ANNUAL    MEETING. 


The  Maine  Missionary  Society  held  its  forty-ninth  annual 
meeting  with  the  church  in  Calais,  June  25,  1856.  The 
meeting  was  opened  with  reading  the  Scriptures  and  prayer 
by  the  President.  The  sermon  was  by  the  Rev.  Prof.  Smith, 
from  John  xvii.  20,  21,  on  the  subject  of  Christian  Union. 
The  Treasurers  Report  was  read  and  accepted ;  then  fol- 
lowed the  Report  of  the  Trustees  by  the  Secretary.  A  mo- 
tion to  print  and  publish  this  Report  was  offered  by  the  Rev. 
Asa  D.  Smith,  D.  D.,  of  the  city  of  Xew  York,  and  being 
seconded,  was  carried.  Brief  and  pertinent  addresses  were 
made  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Cushman,  Drummond,  Cutter,  Parker 
and  Carruthers.  After  the  taking  up  of  a  collection  in  aid 
of  the  Society,  the  public  services  were  closed  with  prayer 
and  benediction  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Carruthers  of  Portland. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Society  for  business,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Chickering  was  appointed  to  express  the  thanks  of  the  So- 
ciety to  Professor  Smith,  for  his  sermon,  and  to  request  a 
copy  for  the  press. 

The  committee  appointed  in  1853,  consisting  of  Rev. 
Messrs.  D.  Thurston,  Tappan,  and  Ellingwood,  "  to  collect 
some  historical  notices  of  this  Society,"  were  instructed  to 
report  at  the  next  annual  meeting.  The  same  persons  were 
appointed  a  committee  of  arrangements  for  the  Jubilee  An- 
niversary of  the  next  year. 


68 

The  following  persons  were  chosen  officers  of  the  Society 
for  the  ensuing  year  : 

PRESIDENT  : 

WILLIAM    T.     D  WIGHT,    D.     D. 


yice  president: 
JOHN    W.    ELLINGWOOD,    D. 


COR.   AND    REC.    SECRETARY: 

BENJAMIN    TAPPAN,    D.    D. 


treasurer: 
JOHN    HOW,    Esq 


TRUSTEES  : 


Rev.  WM.  T.  DWIGHT,  ex  officio. 

Rev.  DAVID  THURSTON. 

Rev.  BENJAMIN  TAPPAN. 

Rev.  JOHN  W.  ELLINGWOOD. 

Rev.  ENOCH  POND,  D.  D. 

Rev.  JOHN  W.  CHICKER1NG,  D.  D. 


Rev.  DAVID  SHEPLEY, 

Rev.  STEPHEN  THURSTON,  D.  D. 

Rev.  EDWARD  F.  CUTTER. 

Rev.  ISAAC  ROGERS. 

JOHN  HOW,  Esq. 


WOODBURY  STORER,  Esq.,  )  AuDITORS 
WILLIAM  D.  LITTLE,  Esq.,  j  AtDITORS- 

The  Central  Church  in  Bath  was  appointed  as  the  place  for 
the  next  annual  meeting,  on  the  4th  Wednesday  of  June,  1857. 

Rev.  GEORGE  B.  LITTLE,  First,  )  Prevchers 
Rev.  E.  G.  CARPENTER,  Second,  \  1  KEACHtKS- 


TREASURER'S  REPORT. 


491  20 

6  00 

9  00 

33  00 

60  00 

5  00 

604  20 
12  69 

Jteceipts  and  Disbursements  of  John  How,  Treas'r  of  Maine  Missionary  Society 

BECE1PTS. 

Balance  in  the  Treasury  June  25,  1855,  ....  $2,420  83 

Income  from  the  Permanent  Fund: — 

Dividends  on  Bank  Stock,         .... 
"  1  share  in  At.  &  St.  Lawrence  R.  R.  Co., 

"  3  shares  in  Portland,  Saco  &  Ports.  R.  R.  Co., 

Interest  on  notes  receivable,       .... 

"  City  of  Portland  bond, 

Rent  on  Building  in  Kennebunk, 

Interest  on  money  loaned,  .  .  •  .  . 

Legacies. — Of  Miss  Eveline  Sewall,  late  of  Kennebunk,  addi- 
tional by  Wm.  B.  Sewall,  Esq.,  .  .  251  00 
Miss  Elizabeth  Langdon,  late  of  York,  .  100  00 
Seth  Morse,  Esq.,  late  of  Paris,  (balance)  .  100  00 
Jos.  B.  Folsom,  Esq.,  late  of  Bucksport,  .  1000  00 
Hon.  Wm.  Richardson,  late  of  Bath,  (9th  instal't,  1000  00 
Mrs.  Sarah  L.  Mason,  late  of  Kennebunkport,          208  00 

2,651  00 

Of  Rev.  B.  Tappan,  D.  D.,  for  supplying  the  pulpit 
in  sundry  places,  .....  51  00 

Annuities,  contributions,  life  memberships,  &c,  .  .  .  9,144  75 

$14,884  47 


69 


DISBURSEMENTS. 

Paid  W.  T.  Johnson  for  printing  Book  of  Receipts, 

Paid  Fuller  &  Fuller  for  printing  Missionary  Sermon  and  Keport, 

Paid  Carpenter  &  Co.  Express  Dill,  •  •  •  ■ 

Paid  Mrs.  Naroissa  S.  Bourne  income  of  legacy  <<(  Miss  Eveline  Bewail, 

late  of  Kennebunk,  ....••• 

Paid  Treasurer  of  American  Home  Miss'y  Society,  by  vote  ol    I  rustees, 
Additional  Legacy  of  late  Miss  Eveline  SewalL  transferred  from  Permanent 

Fund,  according  to  the  provisions  of  the  Will, 
Paid  Trustees'  orders,  ....•• 

COHTINGENT  EXPENSES:— Discount  on  S500  of  legacy  ol  late  J 

B.  Folsom,  paid  by  Dr.  Tappan, 

For  bringing  money  from  York, 

Discount  on  draft  on  Portsmouth, 

Collecting  check  on  Kennebunkport, 

Postage,  ...... 

Commissions  on  Receipts,  ..... 

Balance  in  the  Treasury,      ...... 


•54  25 

If,.-)  (in 

8  00 

269  70 

500  00 

251  00 

12,511  01 


The  PERMANENT  FUND  consists  of 
Land  in  the  County  of  Aroostook,  valued  at 
Land  in  Bangor,  valued  at  ... 

Land  and  building  in  Kennebunk,  valued  at 

5  Shares  in  Lewiston  Falls  Manufacturing  Company, 
24  Shares  in  Canal  Bank,  Portland, 
20  Shares  in  Casco  Bank,  Portland, 
15  Shares  in  Manufacturers'  &  Traders'  Bank, 

9  Shares  in  State  Bank,  Boston,      . 

3  Shares  in  Portland,  Saco  &  Portsmouth  Railroad, 

1  Share  in  Atlantic  &  St.  Lawrence  Railroad, 
Scrip  of  the  City  of  Portland, 
Notes  receivable",        . 

Errors  excepted. 


5  25 

25 

50 

1  00 

15  00 


22  00 
311  69 

Ml    M» 


$14,884  47 


S300  00 
300  00 
200  00 
500  00 
2400  00 
2000  00 
760  00 
540  00 
300  00 
100  00 

1IMMI    Oil 

1100  00 


-$9,490  00 
JOHN  HOW,  Ireatwer. 


Portland,  June  20,  1856. 

The  undersigned  have  examined  the  accounts  of  John  How,  Esq.,  Treasurer,  (o 
which  the  foregoing  is  an  abstract)  and  find  the  same  properly  vouched  and  cor- 
rectly cast,  with  a  balance  of  eight  hundred  forty-one  89-100  dollars  in  the  freas- 


\VM.  D.  LITTLE, 
WOODBURY  STORER, 


Auditors  chosen 
by  (he  Socii  t'i. 


DONATIONS 

FROM  JUNE  25,  1855,  TO  JUNE  20,  1856. 


Aroostook  Conference. 
Burlington—  Coll.,  $11  50 

Lincoln—  Coll.,  19  50 

Passadumkeag — Coll.,  8  00 

Aroostook  Conference,  2,  9,  11  24 


$50  24 
Cumberland. 
Auburn—  Ann.  6,  don.  10,  coll.  34,  50  00 
Brunswick— Ann.  14,50,  coll.  41,80,  56  30 
Cumberland— Sab.  Sell.  1,75,  col.  43,  44  75 
Falmouth,  lstparisli—  Coll.  10,08 
"         2tf      "  "  24,75 

34  83 

Freeport — 1st  cont.  L.  M.  30, 

Cent  Soc.  13,  coll.  80,  123 
"        2d  cont.  L.  M.  40,  Ct. 

Soc.  15,60,  coll.  84,40,   140 

263  00 

Gorham—F.  M.  S.  80,84,  coll.  40,62, 

don.  5,  126  46 

Gray—  Coll.,  38  00 

Harpswell—Co\\.  3,74,  don.  2,  5  74 

Lewiston  Falls — L.  M.  80,  coll.  146,- 

85  226  85 

Lewiston— Pine  St.  Ch.  coll.,  20  00 

Mechanic  Falls — Con.  &  mon.  coll.  45  00 
Jlinot— Ann.  10,  L.  M.  6,  coll. 

and  don.  11,  27,00 

Minot,  West—  Coll.,  8,38 

35  38 

Naples — (For preaching,)  12  86 

New  Gloucester — F.M.  S.  42,50,  coll. 

55,25,  97  75 

North  Yarmouth—  Coll.,  16  00 

Portland,  2d  Ch.—FM.S.  200, 
S.  S.  20,  L.  M.  40, 
coll.  136,  396,00 

"        3d  Ch.—F.  M.  S.  114, 

L.M.  75,  col.  113,12,  302,12 
"  Union  Mis.  Circle,  107,00 
"         Abyssinian  Ch. — Col.    1,25 

806  37 

Pownal—  Coll.,  32  25 

Scarborough — L.  M.  10,  don.  5,  coll. 

13,62,  28  62 

Siandish—  Coll.  20,25,  24,70,  44  95 

Wesibrooh,  1st  Ch.—Don.  10,00 

C Saccarappa,)  2d  Ch. — Cont. 
10,  40,  50,00 

60  00 

Yarmouth— L.  M.  105,  F.  M.  S.  20, 

Cent  S.  41,97,  coll.  106,35,  273  35 


Cumberland  Conference,  9,10  23,82,    32  92 

$2351  35 
Franklin. 
Farmington — L.  M.  50,  F.  M. 
S.  23,07,  m.  c.  5, 
coll.  and  don.  37,- 
03,  115,10 


Falls—  Coll., 


2,80 


-117 

90 

10 

38 

6 

00 

5 

■2-1 

16 

50 

6 

85 

8 
§ 

2  '_! 

20 

19 

16 

75 

$208 

01 

New  Sharon — Coll., 

New  Vineyard — Coll.  3,  3, 

PhiUips — Coll., 

Stro?ig—F.  M.  S.  11,  coll.  5,50, 

Temple— F.  M.  S.  2,35,  coll.  4,50, 

Weld—  F.  M.  S.  3,75,  coll.  4,47, 

Wilton — Aim.  4,  coll.  7,  F.  M. 

9,19, 
Franklin  Conference,  7  9,75, 


Hancock. 
Aurora  and  Amherst — L.  M.  6,  Cent 

Soc,  4,73,  Sab.  Sell.  5,  15 

Bluehill—  Don.,  3 

Bucksport — L.  M.  40,  aim.  2,  m.  con. 

19  35,  coll  and  don.  86,  147 

Castine— L.  M.  65,  coll.  and  don.  28,  93 
Deer  Isle—F.  M.  S.  15,75,  coll.  9,- 

64,  25 

Eastbrook — Don.,  3 

Ellsworth— F.  M.  S.  20,  L.  M.  20, 

coll.  and  don.  170,  210 

Mount  Desert,  and  Tremont — Coll.,    46 
Orland—  Coll.,  25 

Sedgwick— Coll.  for  L.  M.,  20 

Hancock  Conference,  6 


$594  97 
Kennebec. 

Augusta,S.— L.  M.  60,  mon.  c.  74,58, 

coll.  and  don.  318,05,  452  63 

Gardiner— L.  M.  25,  coll.  16,  41  00 

nallowell—L.  M.  70,  m.  c.   74,62, 

ami.  2,  cont.  47,  193  62 

Litchfield—  Coll.,  11  38 

Monmouth— Ann.  2,  coll.  2,12,  4  12 

Richmond— F.  M.   S.  42,50,  L.  M. 

39,09,  don.  7,83,  89  42 

Vassalborough — Coll.  8,18,  don.  5,     13  18 
Waterville—  Coll.,  6  50 

Wmslow— Ann.  2,  don.  2,  coll.  9,18,  13  18 
Winthrop—F.  M.  S.  22,  coll.  5,50,    27  50 


71 


' 


20  2 


12 

1 


I. IN.  "I   \. 

Alna—Axm.  4.  coll.  16,2  . 
Bath,  Winter  SL—L.   M.    11". 

Cent  S.  27,  ami.  17.  coll. 

and  don.  i- 1  66, 
■•      Central  Ch.—L.   M. 

aim.   11,   coll.   and  don. 

220,00 

Booihbay,  1st  Ch.— < 

/>';•!  ;/i(  » —  1  Imii.. 

/>V/.-.7(-/.  l«l  Cft.— Mon.  con.,     20,00 
2d  Cft.— Coll.  10,  8,      13,00 

33 

omb—  Coll.,  8 

/.i</«'n — L.  M.  to  compl.,  5 

Phipsburgk—F.  M.  S.20.  coll.  25.62  45 

TJlomasftm— F.  M.  S.  18,75,  gent.  M  32 

Topsham—  Coll ,  16 

Cfeion— L.  M.  10.  coll.  11,41,  21 
WaWoborough— L.  M.5,  aim.  12.  F. 

M.  S.  12,75,  coll.  ami  don.  44.25.  74 
Warn  a — Ann.  >;.  Benev.Soc.  36,70, 

coll.  17,30,  60 

Washington— L.  M.  L0.,  Jon.  1,50,  11 

WUcassi  t—\-  M.  5,  coll.  20.  25 

Woohmch—  Coll.,  20 

-125n 

Oxford. 
.1  ndover — Mon.  con.  3,92,  coll.  13,- 

21,  17 

Bethel,  1st   Ch.— Cent  Soc.  9, 

coll.  31.71.  L.  M.  15.      55,71 
"       2d   Ch.— Don.   2.,    coll. 

10,  12,00 

07 

N6rtoay,l8t  Ch. — Coll.  10, don. 

3,  13,00 

"        2d  Ch.—Y.  M.  S.  11, 

coll.  9,  2o. oo 

33 

Or  ford—  Coll.  9,  don.  20,  29 

Paris,  SI— Coll.  15,19,  L.M.10,  25 

Rumford — Coll.,  9 

Sumner  and  Hartford — Coll.,  15 

Turner— F.  M.  S.  12,22,  coll.  3,50,  15 
Oxford  Conference,!!  5,79  15,75,    35 


lo  Corinna—L.  M.  in  pari  5  00 

_  Dedham—  Coll.  85  88,21,  68  21 

68  Dixmont—  Ann.,  2  00 

Hampden— L.  M.5.",.  F.  M.  >. 

col.  20,26, 
Kenduskeag—L.  M.  6,  coll.  2n,-j7.      26  87 
Oldtmon—CoU.,  10  00 

Orono—  Coll.,  28  9  l 

Orrington—  L.  M.  5,  coll.  11,82,         16  82 
■ .  ■'  (  km/1  /•■  "i  i .  60,  iVi  'in  ■■  a 
friend  of  Missions,"  20.  BO  00 

66  

00  I ! 148  82 

50  PlSCAl  \\H  IS. 

Atkinson—  Coll.,  6  00 

hard—  Coll., 
00  Bradford—  Con.,  11  45 

1.0  Brownvill  — F.    M.    S.    7.oj.    cont. 
00|     10,66, 
62  Dow  r  '<//</  Foxi  /••;/?-  -I..  M.20,  Cent 


Soc.  5,58,  coll.  42,49, 
Garland — Coll., 
Monson — '  loll., 
Sangi  rvilh  — Don., 
Sebec— Coll., 


20  70 

68  07 
20  00 

:;::    on 

1  00 

9  00 


52  10  22 


SOM]  BS]   I. 

Anson,  S.—V.  M.  s.  9,50,  coll.  2,50,   12  00 

00  Bingham—  Coll..                                   7  00 

(feW— Coll.,                              12  00 

80  Madison—  Coll.,                                  13  00 

.1/.  rcer— Coll.,                                     2  76 
Norridgewock — L.  M.  25.  coll.  and 

don.  28,                                             53  00 

Skowht  gan — Don.,                                4  00 

Solon  village — L.  M.  5.  cull.  4,           9  00 

St.  Albans — L.  M.5,  Cent  Soc.  5.52. 

coll.  3,                                                   13  52 


Union. 
Albany — Don.  3,  ann.  2, 

Bridgton,  N.— Don.  5,  coll.  9,  14.00 
Cfentre— Coll.,  '.'.04 


SI  20 
5 


-'J  17 

Penobscot. 

Bangor,  1st  Ch.—\..  M.  105. 
S.  Sch.  60,  coll.  and 
don.  316,88,  481,88 

//,„„.  St.— L.  M.  120, 
S.  Sch.  21,84,  coll. 
87,81,  229,65 

"  '',  „tr<il    Ch.—  S.  Sch. 

50,  coll.  284,82,         334.-2 

lot.; 

Brewer,    IF.— I,.    M.    lo.    don. 

11,  coll.  32,  53,00 

"      village — L.  M.  5,  coll. 

23,17,  28,17 

81 


field— L.  M.  6,  coll.  6,05.  4,- 
5o.  10 

Fryeburg — I..  M.  55,  don.  10,  coll. 
18,42, 

54  Harrison — Cont.,  5 

—  Lovell — Coll.,  10 

29  Otisfeld— Ann.  2.  don.  13,  coll.  16,- 
06,  31 

Sweden — Coll.,  12 

Waterford— L.   M.   15.  F.  M.  S.  5, 
coll  and  don.  30,  50 


35 


17 


Waldo. 

lUlfiM— Coll.  48.  don.  :;. 

"     N. — Coll.  20,  mon.  con. 

40,  60,00 

Camden— F.  M.  S.  28.95,  coll. 

20,50,  19,45 

liockjwrt— Cont.,  6,00 


8288  "1 
51,00 


-111  00 


55  45 


72 


Frankfort — Coll., 

"        Mills— Don. 


34,75 
8,00 


Freedom — Coll., 
Jackson — Don., 

■Searsporlr—  Coll.,63,  don.  5,      68,00 
"       Eastr-  Cont.,  9,00 

Swanville — Don., 
Ihorndike — Don ., 
Unity— Ann.  4,50,  coll.  7,66, 
Waldo  Conference, 


$345  68 


Washington. 

Dennysville — Monthly  concert,  30 

Eastport—  Coll.  30,  L.  M.  40,  70 

Machias—F.  M.  S.  32,  L.  M. 

20,  cont.  10,25,  62,25 

"        East— Cont,  32,00 

"       port—  Coll.,  5,05 

Rob  b  inslon — D  on., 
Whiting — Don., 
Washington  Conference, 


99 
5 

5 

21 


$231  27 


40  52 


York. 

Biddeford,  E. — Coll.,  5,52 

W.— Coll.,  35,00 

Buxton,  N.— Cont.,  23,08 

"        8.— Coll.  and  don.,    29,13 

52  21 

Kennebunk—L.  M.  20,  coll.  22,  don. 

45,  87  00 

Kennebunkport,  1st  Ch. — Coll.  18,25 
2d  a.— Coll.,  40,00 

58  25 

Kittery — Coll.,  24  25 

Lebanon — Coll.,  33  50 

Limerick — Coll.    and    cont.   20,81, 

don.  5,  25  81 

Limington     Coll.,  10  04 


Lyman — Don.,  2  00 

Neivfield—  Coll.,  14  00 
Saco—L.  M.  40,  F.  M.  S.  20,  coll. 

and  don.  156,  216  00 

Sanford— Cont,  (balance)  2  00 

■Shapleigh — Don.,  2  00 
Wells,  1st  Ch. — Coll.  and  cont. 


for  L.  M. 
"      2d  CA.— Coll., 

York,  1st  Ch.— Coll., 
"      2d  Ch.— Coll., 

York  Conference, 


87,38 
10,00 

35,00 
18,00 


97  3S 


53  00 
23  00 

$740  96 


OTHER  STATES. 
Brid<jewater,   Mass. — A   friend    of 

Missions,  2  00 

Cambridge,  Mass. — Erro  Mainensis,     5  00 
Chelsea,  Mass.— Dr.  J.  Mitchell,  6  00 

Lowell,  Mass. — S.  W.  Stickney  and 

S.  C.  Shapleigh,  20  00 

Newburyport,  Mass. — Wm.  Thurs- 
ton and  wife,  ann.,  4  00 
Roxbury,  Mass. — Rev.  D.  M.  Mitch- 
ell, 5  00 
Worcester,  Mass. — Rev.  Dr.  Sweet- 

ser,  15  00 

Oxford,  N.  II. — Rev.  Enos  Merrill 

and  wife,  5  O0 

Norwich,  Conn. — A  lady,  2  00 

California. — A  lady,     '  1  00 

Weymouth,  N.  S.— 'Mrs.  J.  K.  Mayo,  20  00 


From  donors  unknown, 
Annual  meeting  at  Portland, 

Amount  of  donations  as  above, 
Legacies, 


$85  00 

31  00 

135  19 

^9,144  75 
2,651  00 

$11,795  75 


LIFE  MEMBERS, 

RECOGNIZED  SINCE   1  Hi:  LAST  ANNUAL  PUBLICATION. 


Auburn. 


Augusta. 
Bangor 


Bath 


Bradford,  Miss  Clara  F., 
Monroe.  Miss  Em 
Paine,  Mrs.  Lois, 

Perkins,  Luke. 

Bradbury,  Thomas  Vf.  S., 

Webb,  Mary  Bowdoin, 

Bragg,  Isaac  N.. 

Coe,  Mrs.  Mary  M., 

Cummings,  Ephraim  C, 

Dole,  John  Thurston, 

Dutton,  Mrs.  Maria, 

Jewell,  Miss  Emily  B., 

McNamara,  Miss  Mary  Eliza, 

Maltby,  Miss  Henrietta  Caroline, 

Merrill,  Benjamin, 

Partridge,  Mrs.  Mary  B., 

Patten,  Moses, 

Stanwood,  Mrs.  Mary  Lyman, 

Willey.  Mrs.  Louisa, 

Wyer,  Miss  Elizabeth, 

Burnnam,  Rev.  Ch 

Fuller,  Dr.  A.  J„ 

Harwood,  Miss  Lizzie  P., 

Harwood,  Thomas  1*., 

Davidson,  Mrs.  Sarah,  Belfast. 

Ferguson,  Mrs.  .lane, 

Poor,  James  J., 

Mayo,  Mrs.  George  0., 

Sargent,  Miss  Susan  P., 

Skinner,  Arthur  Brainard,  " 

Deering,  Mrs.  Alice  P.,  Bridgtim, 

Stickney,  Mrs.  Putt  v.  BrownfieU. 

I     .  Joseph,  BroumviUe. 

-   rah  P.,  Bu< 

Darling,  A.  Dennis. 
Skinner,  Miss  Harriet, 
Skinner,  Miss  Hannah  .1 
Swasey,  Mrs.  Sewall  B.. 
Rounds,  Gerry,  Buxton. 

Aylward,  Mrs.  Mary,  Calais. 

Ives,  Rev.  Alfre  l  i...  Castine. 

Ives,  Mrs.  Ali'n-  1  E.,  " 

Perry,  Miss  Bannah  M.. 

tie.  M       i 
Wood,  Mi-  II  irri  >t   \.. 
Huston,  Albert  Cbilds,  /; 

Huston,  Hei      tta    \ 

HaskeU,  1>  lacon  E  Lward,  D  ■  r  Tsl 

Mayo,  Miss  Mary  Elizabeth.  Dover 

Hosmer,  R  -v.  S  imuel  I>..  Eislporl 

Stickney,  Gideon, 
Hale.  Miss  M  iry  S 


Farmi 
Frankfort. 


Franhf 

I  V'  i  OOVX. 


Belcher,  Hannibal, 
Butler,  Mrs.  Julia  W., 
Lewis,  Mrs.  Ellen  A.. 
Smith,  ('apt.  William, 
I  'reat,  Miss  Ellen, 
Dmlge,  Mrs.  M;ir\ . 

:■,  Cant  Edward, 
Dillingham,  Mrs.  Patience, 
Gray,  George  W., 
Harrington,  Miss  Anna  R., 
Reed,  Mi-s  Hannah. 
Talbot,  Mrs.  Mary  M.. 
Talbot,  Mrs.  Sally. 
Thing,  Mrs.  Louisa, 
Souther,Miss  Annie Blanchard,  ; 
Hall,  Mrs.  Christiana, 
Nash,  Mrs.  Hannah, 
Woodbridge,  Miss  Eliza, 
Curtis,  Mrs.  Almira, 
Hardy,  J.  1... 
Willcox,  Mrs.  Anne  G., 
Burnham,  Samuel  Jr., 
Stone,  Miss  Mary  1... 

.  [ssachar, 
Pickard,  Horace, 
Freeman,  Mrs.  Charles, 

.  John  C, 

' :      -   sphen, 
Foster,  Mrs.  Mary  C, 
HaskelL  Caleb, 
Marsh,  Deacon  Shubael, 
Nelson,  Otis, 

'!  -.  Caroline  F., 
Smith,  Miss  Lovina, 
Chase,  Mrs.  Joseph  B., 
Parsons,  Dea.  Sherlock, 
Go  i  Iwin,  Lev.  Thomas  S., 
Larrabee,  Mrs.  Hannah. 

Mrs.  Mary,  Portland. 

Clark,  Miss  Elizabeth  Dwight, 
Drinkwater,  Mrs.  Margaret, 
Duran,  Mrs.  William, 

. .  Mrs.  Charles, 
Fernald,  Mrs.  Rebecca, 
(Jilinan,  X.  J., 
G  ddard,  Miss  Mary  P., 
G  >uld,  Miss  Alice  M., 
Greely,  Eliphalet, 

Mrs.  Philip, 
.  I)  'j.  SewaU  B., 

.  Mrs.  Edward, 
Howe,  Nathan, 


Gray. 
Hampa\  n. 

A",  nn<  bunk. 

A'i  it  u<  hi 

ton  Fulh. 

Lino  r'"  ):. 

a 

Machias. 
Mario  i. 

\.   ■  Gl 


Norridi 

Norway. 
Orono. 

Phipsburgh. 


74 


Merrill,  Dr.  Thomas  H., 
Moody,  Mrs.  Lucy  S., 
Moody,  Albus  Rea, 
Nowell,  Mrs.  Henry, 
Shirley,  Arthur  2d, 
Staples,  Mrs.  Julia, 
Tucker,  Jonathan, 
Waterhouse,  Mrs.  Ann, 
Webster,  Mrs.  Eliphalet, 
Woodbury,  William, 
Woodbury,  Mrs.  Octavia, 
Hagar,  Mrs.  Henrietta  L., 
Starrett,  Dea.  Cephas, 
Merrill,  John, 
Murch,  Mrs.  Nancy, 
Goodale,  Miss  E.  W., 
Rumery,  Mrs.  James, 
Sweat,  Moses, 
Jones,  Mrs.  Olive, 
Simpson,  Mrs.  Elizabeth, 
Moody,  Dea.  Isaac, 
Mitchell,  Dea.  Samuel, 
Stone,  Wm.  Irving, 
Dresser,  Dea.  Amos, 
Potter,  Mrs.  Albina  A., 
Allen,  Mrs.  Catherine  R., 
Starrett,  Isaac  P., 
Vaughan,  Jos.  W., 
McDowell,  Mrs.  Harriet, 
Whitney,  Mrs.  Martha, 


Portland. 


Richmond. 
Rockland. 
Saccarappa. 
u 

Saco. 

a 

Banford. 

Searspoi-t. 

Stamlish. 

Thorndike. 

Turner. 

Union. 

Waldoborough. 

Warren. 

(i 

Washington. 
Waterford. 


Weld. 
Wells. 


Winslow. 
Woolwich. 
Yarmouth. 


Titcomb,  Rev.  Stephen, 
Titcomb,  Mrs.  Stephen, 
Gooch,  William, 
Littlefield,  Dea.  Christopher, 
Littlefield,  George, 
Maxwell,  Barak, 
Rankin,  James, 
Shepley,  Miss  Elizabeth, 
Trott,  Miss  Esther, 
Blanchard,  Sylvanus  W., 
Blanchard,  David  Prince, 
Burbank,  Dr.  Eleazer, 
Hayes,  Mrs.  Hannah  P., 
Lawrence,  Mrs.  Elizabeth, 
Loring,  Mrs.  Sarah  R., 
Mitchell,  Mrs.  Hannah, 


OTHER  STATES. 
Blanchard,  Rev.  Amos,  D.  D., 

Lowell,  Mass. 
Foster,  Mrs.  Harriet,  W.  Newbury,  Mas.'. 
Mitchell,  Dr.  Jacob,  Chelsea,  Mass. 

Trask,  Miss  Mary  A.,  Gloucester,  Mass. 
Goodrich,  Mrs.  Lucy  Ann,  Pembroke,  N.H. 
Lord,  Mrs.  Harriet  N.,  Montpelier,  Vt. 
Collier,  Mrs.  Allen,  Cincinnati,  0, 

Valentine,  John,  Keosauqua,  Iowa. 

Gay,  Mrs.  Calvin,  Allston,  S.  C. 

Hamilton,  Mrs.  Isabella  M.,  Columbia,  Call 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  M.  SI.  SOCIETY, 

IX  ITS  REVISED  FORM,  AS  ADOPT1.D  .MM;  23,  1855. 


Article  i.     This  Society  shall  be  called  the  Maine  Missionary  Society. 

Art.  ii.  The  object  of  this  Society  is  to  extend  the  knowledge  of  God  our  Sa 
vior,  and  to  send  the  glorious  gospel  to  those  that  are  destituted  the  public  aid 
stated  means  of  religious  instruction. 

Art.  hi.  This  Society  believe,  and  will  endeavor  to  propagate  those  doctrines, 
whioh  are  called  the  doctrines  of  grace,  aud  use  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the 
reformation,  and  which  arc  comprehended  in  the  Westminster  Assembly's  short(  r 
CatechNm. 

Art.  iv.  This  Society  shall  be  auxiliary  to  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society,  on  the  conditions  of  the  seventh  and  eighth  articles  of  its  Constitutor, 
with  the  name  and  under  the  charter  of  the  Maine  Missionary  Society. 

ART.  v.  The  payment  of  two  dollars  annually  into  the  Treasury  of  the  Soci- 
ety, shall  constitute  a  member  of  the  Society,  and  the  payment  of  not  less  than 
twenty  dollars  shall  constitute  a  member  for  life. 

Art.  vi.  The  Officers  of  the  Society  shall  be  a  President,  Vice  President,  Cor- 
responding and  Recording  Secretary,  Treasurer,  and  eleven  Trustees,  including  the 
President,  who  shall  be  chosen  at  the  annual  meeting  by  ballot  The  President 
shall  be  ex-officio  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  five  of  whom  shall  consti- 
tute a  quorum.     The  officers  shall  all  continue  in  office  until  others  are  elected. 

Art.  vii.  The  president  shall  preside  in  the  meetings  of  the  Society  and  of  the 
Trustees,  and  call  special  meetings  of  the  Board  whenever  requested  by  three  of 
its  members.  The  Secretary  shall  take  charge  of  the  books  and  correspondence  of 
the  Society,  and  exhibit  the  records  of  its  proceedings  at  each  annual  meeting 
The  Treasurer  shall  have  charge  of  the  funds  and  property  belonging  to  the  Soci- 
ety, and  shall  present  annually  a  full  and  accurate  account  of  all  receipts  and  dis- 
bursements. He  shall  also  give  sufficient  security  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Society 
for  the  faithful  discharge  of  his  trust,  before  he  enters  upon  the  duties  of  his  office. 
The  Trustees  shall  meet  semi-annually,  at  the  time  and  place  of  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Society,  and  at  such  other  time  and  place  as  they  may  direct.  Thev 
may  adjourn  or  hold  special  meetings  as  they  think  proper.  They  shall  also  man 
age  and  dispose  of  the  property  of  the  Society,and  have  a  general  superintendence 
over  all  its  business.  At  the  annual  meeting  they  shall  exhibit  to  the  Society  a 
particular  statement  of  all  their  proceedings,  and  of  the  labors  and  success  of  tlicir 


missionaries. 


76 

Art.  viii.  The  Society  shall  meet  annually  on  the  fourth  Wednesday  of  June ' 
at  such  place  as  they  may  appoint.  At  each  annual  meeting  a  sermon  shall  be 
preached,  and  a  collection  taken  up.  Every  meeting  shall  be  opened  and  closed 
with  prayer. 

Art.  ix.  The  constitution  may  be  altered  or  amended  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds 
of  the  members  present  at  any  annual  meeting;  but  no  such  alteration  or  amend- 
ment shall  be  made  unless  a  motion  expressing  the  same  in  writing  shall  have  been 
made  at  a  previous  meeting  of  the  Society,  one  year  before  it  is  acted  upon. 

Akt.  x.  The  missionaries  employed  by  this  Society  shall  endeavor  faithfully  to 
promote  the  great  interests  of  religion,  by  all  the  means  in  their  power,  and  shal 
make  returns  of  their  transactions  to  the  Trustees. 

Akt.  xi.  The  funds  of  this  Society  shall  be  raised  from  the  annuities  and  life 
memberships  of  members,  and  from  the  voluntary  donations  and  bequests  of  the 
charitably  disposed. 

This  Society  will  cordially  unite  with  any  other  Societies  established  for  the  pro- 
motion of  christian  knowledge,  who  may  be  disposed  to  co-operate  with  them  in 
their  designs. 


SEVENTH  AND  EIGHTH  ARTICLES   OF   THE   CONSTITUTION  OF  THE 
AMERICAN  HOME  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 


Article  vii.  Any  Missionary  Society  may  become  auxiliary  by  agreeing  to 
pay  into  the  Treasury  of  this  Society  the  whole  of  its  surplus  funds,  and  sending 
to  the  Secretaries  for  Correspondence  a  copy  of  its  Constitution  and  Annual  Re- 
ports, mentioning  the  names  of  its  Missionaries  and  the  fields  of  their  operations. 

Art.  viii.  Every  Auxiliary  Society  which  shall  agree  to  pay  the  whole  of  its 
funds  to  this  Society,  shall  be  entitled  to  a  missionary  or  missionaries  to  labor  in 
such  field  as  it  may  designate;  at  least  to  the  amount  of  its  contributions;  provi- 
ded such  designation  be  made  at  the  time  of  payment. 


s 


BX7146.M2A7  1856 

The  prayer  of  Christ :  that  his  people 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


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